Ties Of Blood
by vegita-dias
Summary: Sesshoumaru and Rin. Two sides of a war between humans and youkai. What is the meaning of the phrase "blood does not matter"? And can Sesshoumaru see past Rin's human blood and love her for who she is?
1. Prologue

**REVAMPED**

Hello Minna-san. This is my first time posting a fic on Heck it's my first time writing an Inu-Yasha fiction. This is Sesshoumaru/Rin by the way (Love this pairing. When she's older of course. ). Hope you enjoy and please review because its encouraging and I want to improve 'kay? Luv ya' lots!!

Disclaimer: I would if I could but I can't so I won't ever own Inu-Yasha or any one of Rumiko Takahashi's magnificent characters or brilliant stories. :sigh:

**Note:**

nii-chan - an affectionate term for big brother

tou-san – father

Sho-gun – a ruling general of sorts

Youkai – monster/demon

Kami (-Sama) – God/Gods, deities in general

**Ties Of Blood **

**Prologue**

Silence.

That was the first thing he noticed as he exited the house, Rin in tow behind him.

The world was made of silence and embellished upon by the inky blackness of night and the shimmer of a thousand and one stars.

It was funny, really, how quiet it was considering the current situation facing the country of Nippon.

The entire mess was enough to make Souta's heart ache and he took a deep, calming breath, closed his eyes. Pretending, if only for a moment, that nothing else existed but the wind, the sky, the stars…and Rin.

Sweet little Rin, who didn't know the ways of the world as of yet – how long would it be before she realized the import of the letter the soldier had brought, a call to arms? How long before she realized that he might not come back?

He shivered and gripped her tiny hand just a little bit tighter, trying to find the words to tell her that her brother - her protector - was going to war. A war, not against humans but against the vicious youkai who plagued mankind - beings with such power and ferocity that mere humans could hardly hope to stand a chance against one, let alone a horde of them. Only the already scarce miko and the occasional priest could fight them in earnest and, _perhaps_, live to tell the tale.

_'And I'm supposed to explain that I'm going to go into battle against them?'_ A wry smile touched his lips but he was feeling far from humorous. Liquid brown eyes met his and he couldn't bring himself to tear his own away, those innocent depths compelling him more than mere words could.

"Can you count the stars, Rin?" he blurted out at last, surprising them both with the sudden question.

The child blinked and cocked her head in a quizzical expression before turning the intensity of her eyes away from her sibling's and raising them heavenward.

"Umm," she mused before beginning to count, "one, two,…ninety-nine…Ugh. Rin gives up."

His smile was genuine this time and it soon turned into an honest laugh as he ruffled her hair affectionately.

"You're so funny, Rin-chan. But I guess…that's why I enjoy having you for a little sister."

"Umm, nii-chan…"

"Hmm?"

"Rin…Rin is happy to be your little sister too."

His laughter melted back into a smile that somehow reminded her of the sun and was just as reassuring in its warmth. He smoothed a gentle hand through his adopted sibling's hair, fixing the mess he'd made from ruffling it earlier and she leaned into his touch like an eager puppy.

"Thank you, Rin-chan. We are blessed to have you with us."

She smiled up at him and blushed in turn, before a solemn look crossed her young face. Long lashes slid down to hide her expressive eyes and she seemed to muse something over in her tiny head before speaking up again.

"Rin has a secret to tell you, nii-chan."

"Oh?"

"You're…the best onii-chan anyone could have. She loves you very, very much. Souta nii-chan…will be with together with Rin forever after the war…won't he?"

His smile faded at the mention of war and he knelt down next to her to stare her in the eyes once more – perhaps she wasn't as clueless about the meaning for the summons as he'd thought. Leaning forward, he hugged her and hoped that she would realize just how protective he was of her in the comforting gesture.

"Nii-chan,are you okay?"

"Of course…I'm fine," he replied, grateful that she had yet to reach the age where she could have easily detected his lie – Kami knew he wasn't particularly skilled at deception.

Composing himself, he took a deep breath and said gently, "Rin, I know this may seem strange but…I want you to remember this: Blood is unimportant. Though we aren't related by blood, I…I'm your brother no matter what anyone says."

"But..tou-san.."

"It doesn't matter what father says," he tightened his hold on her, "I won't let anyone hurt you. You, my sweet, beautiful sister and the only good one I have left. Even…even if I die and this world ends, I will find a way to protect you."

The child wriggled in his grasp, trying to look up at his shadowed face - the face of the brother who cared for her so very much even though he was her senior by ten years. Something wet landed on her cheek.

"Nii-chan…are you crying?"

"Nonsense, men don't cry. I'm just worried about you because I'll be leaving tomorrow to fight against the youkai. The Sho-gun's army is now strong enough that victory against those demons is assured," that was his second lie and he hated himself for the false sense of hope it gave her.

"How long will you be gone?"

He hesitated before answering. "Only a few months, if things go well," was the reply he settled on to keep her from worrying.

"Rin will wait to welcome you back then, nii-chan."

He released her and turned away quickly, wiping at his eyes and standing up straight.

"Are you _really_, alright?" her tiny brow was wrinkled in worry.

"You're just a bundle of caring today aren't you?" he said with a little laugh and, even to his own ears, it sounded strained.

"It's really nothing, Rin-chan. Just a bit of dust in my eye," it was his third lie. He checked the position of his sword – he found himself carrying it everywhere these days - settling the blade securely on his left and praying that these untruths wouldn't come back to haunt him.

"Rin," he said quietly, his back turned to the ten-year old girl, "you can't count the stars. But sometimes…I wonder…could you grab a hold of one? And if so…would that star make you happy?"

Rin's childish mind couldn't even begin to understand the complexity of that seemingly simple questiom and so she stared at his back, unsure and unable to answer.

He moved towards their house. "There is one more very important thing I want you to remember, Rin. Blood connects everyone and everything in the world to each other but...it is love that binds us, that keeps us together…that keeps us united," he turned to look at her once more,"Do you understand?"

She nodded even though they both knew that this too was a concept that her young mind couldn't fully grasp…not yet.

He sighed before giving her an affectionate pat on the head, "Maybe when you're older…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Her brother left for battle the next morning and his parents – along with Rin – gathered together to see him off. They wished him well and expressed their hope to see him soon. And when the rest of the family returned to the house - Rin stayed with her brother for just a few minutes longer. She hugged his leg as hard as she could and whispered, "I'll see you soon."

However, had she known what was in store for her, her beloved brother, and one very important, powerful person…would she have allowed him to leave so easily?


	2. Reunion

**REVAMPED**

Wow. Five reviews?! I'm soo happy. I'd better make sure I don't disappoint. Thank you very much.

Thanks to: Galandria the Vampire Queen, Angel64, New Fan, marnika, MintlovesSR, and anhimals. I appreciate the reviews and apologize for not updating soon. My work schedule can be iffy sometimes.

Alrighty then…

Note: The first couple paragraphs are quoted from a fictional character that I made up but it kinda' sets the tone for the rest of my story, so please bear with me. Thanks.

Oh yeah, and this story will move a little slowly at first but I assure you, there'll be some action before I'm through.

Hanyou - half youkai

Youkai - like oni is used as either monster or demon

Taiyoukai – "High" or "Great" youkai; like a prince

futon - bed

kimono - traditional Japanese robe

geta - shoe similar to sandals

daimyo – lord

youki – youkai energy

inu – dog

Disclaimer: One, Two- Please don't sue- Three, four- Lock the door- Five, six- I'm in a fix- Seven, eight- Please don't hate- Nine, ten-back again. I don't own so leave me alone.

**Ties ****Of**** Blood**

**Chapter 1**

**Reunion**

_"Blood.__ Blood connects everything in this world of ours. It is shed over property, men, women, __inheritances__…things that become meaningless upon our demise. But sometimes, it is prized as much as gold for there are few chains stronger than those crafted from blood. It enslaves people to classes and castes – systems designed to raise certain humans over others - from which there is no escape except through death or dishonesty."_

_ "Blood saturates the very ground we walk upon. Perhaps we have, in these troublesome times, seen an old battlefield. Does it not create a sea of green and red upon which the __bodies of those who have fallen -__ by the sword or by the arrow__ -__ float? __And yet__, it nourishes the spring grass. __Our blood, our flesh, __and __o__u__r bones will eventually fade away and aid in a continuous cycle. __It is a__ cycle wherein that grass is consumed by the beasts__ or the earth. In turn, __humans, youkai, and __hanyou__ - like me –__devour__ these innocent beasts__ in __our __selfishness, gaining power from the flesh and blood of other living things__"_

_"__We are insatiable in our lust for blood and the imagined superiority that comes with it."_

_"Often, men wish - and fight - for power, for glory, for wealth and prestige. They fight for blood, to breed superior bloodlines and to satisfy their basest cravings. But I…I wish at times that – if only for a short while – mortal and immortal alike could forget their endless struggles. My fondest and most foolish wish, before I die__ as a 'filthy __hanyou__,'__ is that all humans and youkai could discover __the treasure that is hidden away in every being's heart - though perhaps it is buried more deeply in some._

_But…how grateful I am for it._

_That treasure of love…ah, so very sweet it is. For - if ever our selfish beings could comprehend such a powerful thing - we would all be equal and peace would end this eternal struggle fo__r power. For love I have found__ is equal to power. And there is no greater strength than the ability to love and be loved."_

_- __Hiro__Aizawa__, the night before his execution __–_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sun was bright – too bright - and Sesshoumaru couldn't help but notice it as he rested within his prison. But he didn't move, refusing to give the humans any indication of his discomfiture. It was bad enough that they had sealed him in this cage, this infuriating, insulting, _wooden_ cage. Truly it was a slap in the face, telling him how far he had fallen. He was the strongest _youkai_, and these lesser creatures deemed him worthy of _only_ a simple _**wooden **_cage that was sealed with _their_ power to prevent his escape.

They were taunting him with this, he was well aware of it, and so he didn't so much as twitch a muscle to reveal _or_ alleviate his annoyance. His only relief was that they hadn't paraded him out in the open when they marched through the town – opting instead to keep him covered up for fear that their fellow humans would look upon him and begin to feel sympathetic. He was very well aware of the fact that he was beautiful in form.

Being put on display would have been bad enough - but to have the pity of these lesser creatures? It didn't bear thinking about. And besides, there were things that were _far_ more irksome than being locked in a cage.

For example…_him_.

Themanin the cage adjacent to his had remained silent from the moment he understood that protesting would do them no good. No doubt he was brooding over their capture.

_'Or perhaps he is thinking of how I might be persuaded to spare him again once I am free.'_ And there was little doubt in his mind that he _would_ be able to free himself and exact his revenge against these worms. As yet, there hadn't been a miko or priest alive who was strong enough to keep his _youki_ completely in check.

Even now it was searching for cracks in the barrier holding him captive, feeling out the edges, prodding at anything and everything that seemed the least bit promising.

But there was nothing…

…yet.

Thin lips tightened imperceptibly and - even though his eyes were closed - he knew that the man was looking his way, having roused himself from whatever stupor he'd fallen into.

Slowly he cracked his eyes open and stared at the human, golden eyes meeting gentle brown.

Impassive youkai eyes which gave nothing away.

Guilty human eyes that could hide nothing from him.

How similar this was to the first time he'd met the human.

It was the same, this feeling that the human across from him was something…unique.

That he was a man who fought but could not kill.

A man who should never have gone to war.

A man whose life he should not take.

Indeed, it was the same. This feeling that this particular human would prove to be important, that he would lead him to something important.

_'And yet, I listened to him, and ended up _here_.'_ He narrowed his eyes at the man before turning his head away in an obvious gesture of dismissal.

How he cursed the curiosity that so often plagued him. Very few of his fellow _youkai_ knew of it because he usually kept it firmly in check, but it had picked at him on that day so long ago, his constant thirst for knowledge. Why was it that a human who could not fight had stepped out onto a battlefield? Why did he not spout that nonsense about honor and duty as all the others had right before he tore their heads from their shoulders? Why did he get the feeling that he had just set his feet onto the path to his future when his eyes first met those of this "lesser being"?

His questions hadn't been answered as of yet and it would have been wonderful if his curiosity had at least allowed him to find the answers that he sought before throwing another dilemma his way. But no – of course it didn't.

Now he was plagued with the question: "How had he allowed himself to get into this situation?"

This time he was questioning himself.

Oh, how he hated that. He was royalty, questioning himself was unacceptable and yet here he was. He hated indecisiveness. And to make matters worse, there was something else weighing on his mind. Something that he hated even more.

Betrayal…he _hated_ betrayal.

Intentional or not, his human companion had betrayed him and forced him into the indignity of a cage – a _wooden_ cage – as surely as if he had taken those frail hands of his and sealed him into this prison himself. It was reason enough for him to do serious harm to the human once he was free.

_'Harm?'_ he thought, no, he would do more than harm. He was going to _kill_ the human, as he should have done eons ago.

_'I'll do it myself when I escape," _he promised himself, vaguely pleased that the human emotion of "regret" hadn't rubbed off on him as much as he'd thought. _'At least he has not corrupted me in this.'_

Closing his eyes again, he flexed his claws just a bit and wondered exactly how he would kill the man.

Should he slowly tear him to pieces, drawing out his death in retaliation for being humiliated like this?

Or should he end it quickly, put the fool man out his misery for thinking the impossible?

_'As if a human would __**ever**__ be __**equal **__to a youkai.'_ No matter how much the human preached to him about blood being "unimportant" there would always be a gap between the strong and the weak. How else - if not because their blood was superior – could they so easily kill off the pitiful mortals who thought to control the land that hadn't been theirs to begin with?

He was done with the man.

He was done with the other youkai who thought him weak for not slaughtering the human at first glance.

And he was most definitely done with being locked in this cage.

_'The traitor dies'_ he thought and bowed his head, hiding his features.

"Traitor," was the title given to one who abandons his or her friends, country, or anyone who they have strong ties with for personal gain.

"Traitor" was what _that_ man's own kind had called him for aiding a _youkai_, but for Sesshoumaru - Taiyoukai of the Western Lands – it was a far more serious matter. The results of his patient tolerance of the mortal were manifest in the wooden bars surrounding him and the jeering faces that ringed him on all sides. His kind had owned this land far before humans came along and he – he alone – was the only one who should rule over these worms. That was part of the reason why the war had begun in the first place.

This human was his servant – both because he lived on _his_ land and because the man swore to serve the Taiyoukai until death.

Vicious they might be, but youkai made it a point to keep their word and as far as he was concerned the man had broken it.

His lord came before friends and family and he had ignored that rule by putting the latter first.

Hence, of the two betrayals the man stood accused of – by both youkai and human – the greater was towards Sesshoumaru.

_'I will not be so lenient again.'_ He thought as he sensed the approach of yet another filthy human.

"Look at the little doggie," he heard a voice jeer and he slowly cracked his eyes open to stare at the man, one of the rough warriors who seemed to have a particular dislike for his kind.

Seeing that he had the Taiyoukai's attention, the worm actually had the nerve to grin at him and say mockingly, "Aww, what's wrong? Does the little doggie hate being locked up? Does he want something to chew on? Maybe the flesh of a baby perhaps? Of maybe he wants to chew on me, hmm? Too bad my tastes don't run that way, eh?"

He leered suggestively and Sesshoumaru fought the urge to growl low in his throat. The humans had flinched beneath his gaze at first until they realized that he wasn't going to immediately break out of the cage and devour them. After the initial apprehension, they began to mock him, laughing at him and throwing rotten food into his cage, staining his once beautiful, white kimono. The man was the primary ring leader and he contented himself with thoughts of how he planned to disembowel him once he was free to exact his retribution.

Really, how dare that filth suggest that he was like one of those lesser youkai who couldn't control their urges to feed on mortal flesh?! Not only that, but the man had the nerve to imply that _he_ had a taste for humans – let alone human males - as bed companions. It wasn't the first time he'd heard that particular theory either. He had learned long ago that humans were given to groundless speculation but it irked it to hear such things suggested about him. And even more so because they seemed to have based it solely on the fact that he _was_ beautiful – he stood out, even among his own kind - and also because they had found him in the company of _that_ particular human.

His fangs ached from keeping his jaw clenched and he returned his eyes to his former companion, the man who was the very epitome of misery.

_'All of this is _his_ doing.'_

Long hands clenched into fists, claws drawing blood as they scraped his fair skin, these conditions were pulling out all of the negative emotions that he thought he'd buried long ago.

He had spared this human, indulging him when he should not have, and this was what came of it.

The man swore that he had to be with his family and the Taiyoukai had wound up getting captured because he absolutely _had_ to know what a family really was. His own family – if it could be called that - most certainly wasn't a shining example.

He hadn't known that the human was a wanted man - _youkai _could care less about such things.

However, the man _had_ known that there were people who sought to arrest him and still he insisted on leaving. He even took advantage of his lord's curiosity by telling him that he would understand what family was if he came with him to meet his.

_"You have to meet my family…but I especially want you to meet my little sister, Rin. She's very special."_

Those were the human's words and he'd listened to him, his accursed curiosity getting the better of him a second time.

_'What makes the girl so special?'_

_'What makes a family?'_

_'__Perhaps I can trust him th__is once and go with him myself.'_

How foolish he'd been to listen to such asinine thoughts. Such notions were contrary to the very nature of a _youkai_.

Giving a tiny 'hmph' he closed his eyes again and blocked everything out, even the warrior mocking him.

He'd kill them with his own hands.

First, the man who taunted him so would die. And then that foolish human, who had landed him in this predicament, would die as well.

And then he would take care of the rest of the humans in this pitiful town.

Including that worthless man's family.

_'I will not show him mercy a second time.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The night was cool, as was often the case in early spring, and Rin hunkered down beneath the covers of her futon. In truth, part of her chill came from within as she thought about what she planned to do.

She took deep, calming breaths and clutched a small book to her breast, almost certain that it was midnight by now. There was no moon tonight and she thanked _Kami_ for giving her an opportunity to put her plans into motion so soon – the darkness would certainly make what she intended to do even easier.

This night was not the kind to be making mistakes of any sort for, if she did, it could easily cut her life perilously short. And not just her, but the family that had taken pity on the small child she had been so many years ago. Rin took a deep breath and centered her thoughts on what she'd seen today.

**Flashback**

_Six years. __Six long, agonizing years.__ That was how long she'd been waiting for her __nii-chan__. Six months __was the figure __he__'d given her when she asked, on the morning of his departure, how long he would be away_

_Only six months._

_And it seemed that the gods had mocked his words by making it a year for every month that he'd promised her. _

_"__Souta__nii-chan__, where are you?" she had wondered on that day, of all days. The war was over and that was attested to when - for months now - soldiers began f__iltering into the city. __Every da__y__ that passed and didn't bring__ her __nii-chan__ knocking on the shrine's door__to tell them he was back - she went to the market in the middle of town and searched the crowd of weary, disillusioned faces for one bright smile._

_Just one wink._

_Or even a wave._

_She thirsted for it as a parched man thirsts for water._

_And yet she saw nothing._

_Always nothing._

_Yet, __on this day of all days, __she watched a procession of soldiers transporting two cages via horse and cart. One was covered with a dirty red cloth to hide its contents but the other had a man inside. Briefly she wondered who the criminals were and felt a stab of pity as she moved a bit closer to the train of people._

_Something drew her eye to the cloth-covered cage but no matter how she tried to p__eer through the thick material,__ it proved to be a futile effort._

_**'**__**Could that be a youkai'**__ she had wondered briefly before turning to examine the occupant of the other cage._

_She looked at the man imprisoned therein…and nearly wept._

_He didn't smile._

_He didn't wave._

_He didn't even wink._

_No, instead he kept his eyes turned towards the ground and he slumped against the bars of his cage. His hair had grown long and disheveled and his clothes were in tatters. Every once in a while he would wince as if something was paining him and she would have given anything to spare him this…this humiliation._

_Anything to prevent what she knew would happen. The only people who were put on public display were dead men or men who would__ be dead__ in __very __short order._

_'__**Kami**__**, please don't let this mean what I think'**__ she prayed knowing that she was deluding herself with false hope._

_Gathing__ her courage, she worked her way through the crowd and raised herself up on the tips of her toes._

_Taking a small gulp of air, she called out at last._

_"__Nii__…__Souta__-kun." _

_For one long, agonizing second it seemed as if he hadn't heard before slowly, so very slowly, he raised his head - as if he were a tired old man - and found her with his eyes._

_His __dead__ eyes._

_She felt tears welling and refused to let them be shed. With an almost deliberate slowness, his once happy eyes - his human eyes - gathered in some of the light. She knew then how plants felt after a long winter of no sun and bitter cold. Yes, like a plant unfurling its new leaves, his eyes gained a faint sparkle of awareness and he was suddenly a living, breathing man._

_Her __nii-chan_

_He continued to look at her and a ghost of a smile appeared; it was so achingly slow that she wondered __how much effort he had to expend to accomplish even __that._

_His cracked lips mouthed her name so very softly and her heart beat just a little bit faster._

_Yes, there was her brother who loved her so very much, who had fought to keep them all safe._

_The moment seemed to stretch into forever – __and __oh, how she wished it __could truly be forever._

_And then he was gone, swept __on__ by the cart__ and oxen__ bearing his cage. A __mist formed over her eyes and she blinked it away, feeling a single tear squeeze out and travel down the curve of her cheek. S__he __couldn't take her eyes off of__ him until __his cage was__ well out of sight and she had to wage a fierce fight against her tears lest the people around her grow even more suspicious._

_She needed to know what was going on._

_Snagging the arm of a burly samurai - who leered a__t the pretty__ little sixteen-year-old - she asked nervously, "What is going to happen to that man? Do you know who he is?"_

_The samurai had been genuinely surprised at her lack of knowledge and replied, "Girl, don't you know who that is? That man is the famous traitor__ Higurashi __Souta__. We nearly lost to those filthy __youkai because of him. That trash is going to be executed tomorrow morning for his crimes along with that…thing in the other cage."_

_"That thing?" she queried gently._

_"It's a youkai – the __strongest of them all."_

_Rin noted the shiver that went through him when he mentioned the cage whose occupant had __obviously __been so frightening __in appearance __that it had been hidden from view. She herself shivered when she thought about the fate awaiting her brother.__ Yet, as strange as it sounded she also felt a bit of apprehension about the fate awaiting the youkai as well. There had to have been something special about the monster if her brother was willing to forsake the respect of his fellow humans to aid it._

_**'**__**Nii-chan**__**,' **__she thought,____**'**__** what**__** have you gotten yourself into?**__**'**_

**End flashback**

The house was quiet as she got up - already fully dressed - and pressed her ear to the wall, hearing no movement in the adjacent room where her adopted parents slept. Slipping a small knife, as well as the worn book, into the folds of her kimono, she put years of tiptoeing around her volatile, adopted father to use and grabbed a tiny lantern. In all honesty, she didn't need to bring the book but it had been a gift from Souta and she had the strangest feeling that, if she didn't bring it with her now, she'd lose it forever.

Rin crept to the foyer where they kept their _geta_. The footwear was taken in hand and the young woman paused, holding her breath before slipping outside. Heading around to the back of the house, she lit the tiny lantern from the dying embers of the fire pit between the house and the shrine and exited through the rear gate. Only then did she let out the breath she'd been holding and don the shoes, heading in the direction of the Daimyo's residence.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was cold, so very cold outside and yet, Souta felt as if his body were already frozen from the inside. A chill that came from the heart had taken root inside of his very being and it was certainly colder than anything as mundane as the weather.

How had this process begun? He had wondered that more than once, moving his head slowly to his right so that he had a good view of _His_ cage. The cage of his lord - a youkai who was most likely plotting the best way to kill him for this latest humiliation. They had veiled the portable prison and its contents so that the ignorant people of this city would never know just how much their enemy could resemble them.

So that they couldn't see just how _human_ the _in_human beasts they'd fought for so long could look.

_ 'Alas the similarities stop at the looks, his true form would be enough to make them wet themselves in terror__' _he thought, a humorless smile twisting his lips. The only humans - he being the one exception - who had seen what Sesshoumaru-sama really looked like were dead and scattered about in very fine pieces.

Scratch that, there were _two_ other people – two women – who knew what his lord's true form looked like and lived to tell the tale because he had been forced to reveal it when they worked their powers on him. The result of that encounter was their current situation. They had been captured and his master was currently stuck inside of a cage that would have been nothing to him if not for the seals placed on it.

Going back to the matter of looks, he supposed that he should have been grateful for the cover given to the _Taiyoukai_. Kami knew that his fellow humans would especially fear Sesshoumaru – a _youkai_ who maintained a frighteningly beautiful form and yet, was more vicious than any others of his kind.

_'Ah yes…Sesshoumaru-__sama__'_ as much as he feared the prince and, even more so, the _youkai_ blood that was so very strong in him, there was no one he respected or admired more. '_If only you could let go of some of your pride, my lord, it would be easy for you to control these lands and maintain peace. And still…still you remain hard hearted about us. Look at yourself and learn because, now, the people you so despise have caged you in a way that not even you can get out of.' _

However, a part of him knew that this experience was more likely to anger his lord than to show him "the light." He was just stubborn that way. '_I wonder if Rin-__chan__…__no, __Rin could help him__' _he mused, frowning slightly. He had to remember that his sweet, little Rin wasn't so little anymore and that…soon, so very soon his parents would likely marry her off – she was certainly of age now. _'And a more beautiful girl I've yet to see,' _he thought with a tiny smile, remembering his earlier encounter with his beloved adopted sister.

_'What am I thinking? I'll be dead by the time she gets married,'_ he thought helplessly, '_If not by my fellow man, then by Sesshoumaru-__sama's__ hand.'_

He was doomed either way.

And what made it worse was that he actually _did_ feel bad for betraying his fellow humans. Perhaps he could be forgiven by the _Kami_if he gave up his life here, in this place. There were certainly enough people who hated him - both human and nonhuman - and his father had to have known that his only son was a good-for-nothing who deserted his own kind to follow the monsters ravaging their land.

The young man laughed - a short, almost hysterical laugh - at his plight, feeling pathetic and worthless.

What could a dead man do if Sesshoumaru decided to hunt down the girl, who had called to him in that sweet voice and, for a moment, made him forget that he would be gone in the morning - remembered only as "Souta the Traitor?"

He knew his lord well enough to understand that he eliminated anything that could possibly be a threat. And he most certainly _would_ include the family of the only human he'd ever bothered to interact with as a potential threat. Why, if he himself could get close, then imagine what Rin could do, with her bright smile, her endless curiosity – surprisingly similar to his lord's - and that untouched innocence.

It made her so very unique.

So very different from other humans.

Sometimes, it seemed that she existed on a completely different plane from both humans and youkai alike. He wondered - and not for the first time - what events had led up to her being discovered alone in the woods so many long years ago.

How had ten years passed so quickly?

How could he have missed six of those already?

"I can practically hear you thinking something foolish, human," came _His_ voice in a low whisper, interrupting his thoughts.

Quiet. Always, he was so quiet.

"Perhaps," the voice continued, "you understand that you will die at my hands for this?"

It wasn't really a question and any doubts as to what his future would be were quickly thrown out of the window. Sesshoumaru was not known for his mercy.

Souta felt the heart-deep chill begin to spread again. He would not be allowed to forget the price he was destined to pay for presuming that he alone could change the person in the other cage.

The monster with the face of a man.

_'You need someone stronger than I to tame you, my lord, and a person even greater in heart to capture yours.'_

That had been the entire point in insisting that his lord come with him to meet his family. He'd even shamelessly exploited the curiosity that he _knew_ his master possessed in great quantities. All of it had been done so that he could meet Rin, the child he saw as a living miracle.

_'If only you could meet her, maybe you would be able to see it then - to see the truth of my words. If I somehow live to show her to you, I can only hope__ that you do not kill her first,__'_ he thought wistfully.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," he murmured, knowing that the _youkai_ heard him loud and clear.

"I think that I really _do_ deserve to die. An honor-less man like me who abandoned his own kind is fit for very little. I do not even hope to escape from this path because I chose it by my own hand. Even if I had an offer of freedom I would not take it. But…I would not accept my fate with more regrets than necessary. I would have you know the truth of my intent."

"Do you seek to change my mind by telling me what I want to hear human?" came the voice of his master, a distinct growl in his undertone.

"Of course not, Sesshoumaru-Sama. It just that…of all the people in the world that want me dead, it is your indulgence that I beg and yours alone. I know that you want me to die and I can accept that you have just cause in this, but please….please allow me to tell you that I did not bring you here to betray you. I know that you think I did. But…I just…I wanted you to meet her at least, to know how incredible she is." There was no question of who "she" was. Rin had been almost all he talked about during his stay with Sesshoumaru.

"And I will ask you again, human, why is this girl – this Rin – so different? You speak of her as if she was a goddess and you bring me here so that I, a prince, am forced to bow my head before the rest of your kind like a common dog. Tell me, did you seek to have me humiliated?"

"No!" Souta denied the charge vehemently, "With my last shred of honor, I promise you that I would never seek to have you bow before anyone. I vow that I will give my life into the hand of my executioner – be it you or another human - to compensate for my failure but…I wanted to leave you with the knowledge that at least in this…I can at last fulfill your expectations. I failed you, my lord, in so many ways, but I did not lie about Rin."

He trailed off and wondered if his lord even cared what he said at this point?

Silence stretched out before his master spoke at last.

"Human," not once had Sesshoumaru ever used his given name, even though he was certain that his lord knew what it was, "you are a very foolish man. Do you think to spare your family from my wrath?"

"No my lord, I am not so naïve as that. I just…I wanted you to spare her for just a little while before you ended her life. Just once, I wanted to give you the chance to smile," he felt silly, telling the cruelest being he'd ever known about his hopes for him. It made him sound weak and maudlin but he would not…could not take it back.

There was another long silence and, for a second, he thought that the Taiyoukai wasn't going to respond.

"Human," the voice took on a dangerous tone, "of what business is if of yours if I smile? The blood of my captors is not yet on my claws, therefore there is no reason for joy. Getting revenge would please me. Seeing you die, at last, would please me."

"Is that so Sesshoumaru-Sama? Would you truly enjoy my death?" he asked.

"You have humiliated me. You have placed me in a position that I never wished to be in. You have…brought things to my attention…" Souta could hear the unspoken _"that I never wanted to know"_ in his lord's voice but wisely held his tongue.

"I grow tired of this, human," Seshoumaru said abruptly a tiny growl at the end of his sentence.

His voice held no inflection whatsoever, but Souta got the distinct impression that he was being just a wee bit petulant – like a child who had discovered an unpleasant truth. It gave him the insane urge to ruffle the youkai's hair the way he used to do to Rin when she was upset by something. Since he was hardly in a position to do so, he settled for letting a faint smile grace his lips.

"Is there something amusing about my words?"

_'Dangerous territory here'_ he reminded himself. He doubted his lord would appreciate knowing that he thought of him as a younger brother. Never mind the fact that Sesshoumaru was almost two hundred years old, Souta had learned that, by _youkai_ standards, he was fairly young. He had definitely spent enough time around the young lord to know that he was very inexperienced in certain things because of this.

For example, Sesshoumaru was a genius in battle and brutal in the extreme to his enemies, yet he avoided the opposite sex whenever he could. At first, Souta had believed that perhaps he had grown tired of women or preferred men but, after spending time with him, he realized that Sesshoumaru simply didn't know what to do with them. He was well educated and yet he did not know how to be tactful. He was graceful in form and movement but clumsy at building relationships with others. He didn't even know what a family meant and Souta had a strong feeling that it had everything to do with the way he was raised. Or the way he _wasn't_ raised, rather.

It appeared to be a common shortfall among most _youkai_ but the more time he spent around the young lord the more he felt that he could help him. Sesshoumaru was equally loved and hated by his own kind but he was well respected.

Yes, well respected and very much alone.

It was a huge factor in why he wanted him to meet Rin so badly. _'But I don't know how that's going to be possible now,'_ he thought. They were in a very tight spot after all.

Realizing that he hadn't answered his lord's question, he replied before too much time had passed, "No, Sesshoumaru-sama, I was not amused. I was just thinking of the time I've been privileged to have at your side. I thank you for allowing me to live for so long and for listening when no other of your race would."

A very tiny 'hmph' sounded and he heard a slight rustling before more was added.

"I simply found you amusing. Do not make more of it than that. This insistence you have that your kind is equal to mine and this belief that the two could ever coexist is a dream. You are a fool, human. Perhaps it is well that you will die here."

"Perhaps my lord…" he answered aloud but he added silently, _'And perhaps you will finally meet the person who can break those barriers you've erected around yourself.__ Sometimes, my lord, a dream is all it takes.__'_

Nothing else was said after that.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rin used her body to hide the light of her lantern from anyone who might wander towards the shadowed corner she had squeezed into. She nervously licked her lips and waited. Stealth was needed to hide from the unruly men who prowled the streets at night, looking for innocent maidens - just like her - who were foolish enough to venture out alone.

Caution was a must, Souta _nii-chan_, taught her that.

_"The world is full of dangers Rin-__chan__, especially for women, but if you think for yourself and take note of your surroundings,you'll find that life__'s road__ will be paved more easily for you." _He had gotten that advice from the very book that rested securely against her breast.

She closed her eyes in thought. Souta had to be rescued tor it would be too late. Action now, questions later…but she needed a plan.

As gradually as possible, she made her way through town until she was about thirty yards from the local _daimyo's_ gate. There were two men and she was mildly offended that they only had two people guarding the gate to the courtyard where "Souta the _Traitor_" was. It was a foolish feeling to have, given the circumstances, and so she shook her head, banishing the silly though.

Only one of them had a torch and she was grateful for their negligence, it certainly made things much easier. She blew out her lantern and moved into the shadows next to the gate, waiting for her chance. The man with the torch yawned and began to pace back and forth to keep himself awake and she restrained herself from snorting at how inept a guard he was. All she had to do was wait until he turned to pace towards his fellow sentry and she slipped through without so much as a twitch from either of them to indicate that they'd seen her.

Inside, her sense of wariness increased. The courtyard was well lit and there were few shadows to give her cover and so she had to move in slowly to avoid being seen. It felt like hours of creeping from one patch of darkness to the next before she was next to her brother's cage.

He had his head bowed in much the way she'd seen him when she first saw him being carted through town and she wondered if she would have to endure the pain of looking into his dead eyes again.

"Nii-chan," she called, her voice soft. He gave a start and swung his head around – far more quickly than he had previously - to stare at her in disbelief.

"Rin what are you doing here?! Don't you know what could happen if you get caught?! Leave right now!"

No "hello, how have been" or "I missed you Rin-chan", just a command to leave. It hurt more than she wanted to let on and apparently he realized that because he added softly, "Please…I don't want you to get hurt. I know you well enough to know that you might come to try and rescue me but…I don't want to be saved. It's best if you leave before they catch you and send you to join me tomorrow."

She stared silently at him for a log moment before asking in as strong a voice as she could muster, "Why, don't you want me to save you, Souta-kun?"

He looked at her with a pain-filled gaze before turning away, apparently refusing to give her an answer.

She felt like crying for the second time that day. And just as the image of him began to waver because of her unshed tears, she heard someone else speak.

"Save your tears girl," a deep voice said and she wondered how its owner could possibly have known that she was about to cry.

Her eyes followed the direction from whence the voice came and she realized that it had originated from the direction of the other cage. She squinted her eyes at the cage, but all she could make out was a human shape resting against the bars.

"He doesn't wish to be saved," the person continued, "because he's a foolish human like the rest of you, and is constantly ruled by his _emotion_s," did she imagine that he sneered the word, "That particular weakness of his means that he has deluded himself into hoping that I'll spare your life just because he says he deserves to die. I've allowed him to live for far too long."

"My lord," her brother began, pressing his face against the bars and completely ignoring her for the moment. "I beg of you not to say such things. Truly, if giving up my life would appease your anger, then I will gladly do so. You are angry at my kind, I understand this well and I accept it but…master - if it is not troublesome - please spare Rin. She is an innocent in this."

"There is none of your kind who can be called innocent and what use would I have for her in the end?" the owner of the voice replied and she wondered if anyone else could pick up the slight bitterness in his tone.

Rin was thoroughly confused by the exchange between the two. Whatever the situation was, though, she disliked being ignored – even more so when it was her long-lost brother doing the ignoring.

Souta nii-chan was acting strange. She could understand his sense of desperation because he was slated for execution on the morrow but - if she didn't know any better - she'd say that his desperation was more like fear. It wasn't fear for himself either, no, it was fear for her. But why would he be so afraid of the being in the cage? If the person in the other cage was indeed a _youkai_, he certainly wasn't much of a threat if he couldn't even tear himself out of a simple wooden cage.

Moving just a bit closer, she peered into the cage, trying to make out the owner of the voice once more. The sound of movement reached her ears and she thought that he might be looking back at her, but she wasn't sure. The only thing she could tell was that he was man-shaped and had long hair.

"Are _you_ the youkai they captured," she asked thoroughly puzzled, "I thought you were monsters but, from here you look…human."

She immediately regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth because the air suddenly turned…angry. A low growl sounded and she took a step back, wondering how she could possibly have missed the malice that poured out of him in waves.

"Please do not take offense on account of the child", Souta said, his high with fear. And she conceded that perhaps there _was_ a good reason why her brother feared the being in the cage.

The sheer violence in the atmosphere seemed as if it would crush her with its intensity. She didn't even realize that she had been backing away until the sensation stopped as quickly as it had begun. She blinked at the abruptness of the feeling and was surprised to find herself pressed against Souta's cage and her limbs quivering with fear.

_'Not human, Not human at ALL!'_ he mind screamed at her and she wanted to yell at Souta for associating himself with _anyone_ who was so obviously evil.

So malevolent.

So frightening.

"She doesn't understand, Sesshoumaru-sama," her brother said with a sigh and he was absolutely right. She didn't understand how he could go from fearful supplication to a normal tone of voice. Was this not the first time that he'd been faced with the Youkai wrath?

How had he lived to tell the tale?

He looked at her again and gave her a lopsided smile that almost managed to reach his eyes – almost.

"There issomething you _can_ do, Rin-chan, though I know you will not like it. My lord and master - to whom I owe a great debt - does not deserve to be caged like this. Could you free him instead?"

"Isn't it a youkai? Didn't you leave to fight its kind? Just now, didn't you feel…?"

_'Didn't you feel how much he hates us?'_

"Yes, _he_," Souta corrected her, "is a youkai. And yes, I know that I left to fight him and others of his race. And yes, I fear him as anyone with a shred of sense would. But still, I want you to free him and take him somewhere safe."

"I won't," she said stubbornly, she loved him but she would not endanger her brother nor her family.

"Rin…"

"I mean it Souta. He hates us, I can tell. How can you ask me to…to set him free? He won't allow us to live once he escapes."

"Rin-chan, I would never allow him to hurt you."

"You are not in a position to allow me anything," his lord interjected.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…please - just this once - hear me out. I accept that I am marked for death, but may I have your word that you will not harm Rin once she sets you free. I do not doubt that you have realized by now that the chances of you escaping before morning are nonexistent. I know because I am very…familiar with the Miko's who imprisoned you thus. Let me help you. Let us help you."

"I will never need your help, human," the _youkai_ said and Rin wondered how it was that she knew – somehow – that he was saying the words because he was supposed to say them. He obviously had a great deal of pride to be so stubborn when it was clear that he wasn't going to be escaping on his own anytime soon - not if he couldn't break out of a mere cage. It struck something inside of her, some chord deep within and she found herself wondering about the situation.

_'Would __Souta__ serve a person who was __un__worthy of his loyalty__?'_

_'Would he ask me to free someone who would bring me harm?'_

_'Did he not defend me before this youkai?'_

_'Is there something more here that I am missing?'_

There were so many ideas, so many "what-if's" flying about in her head that it took a while to realize that she had already spoken out before collecting her thoughts.

"Sesshoumaru-sama."

Two pairs of eyes swung around to look at her; at least she thought so, but it was still too dark to tell in the case of the _youkai_. At that moment she simply knew that she was under a very close scrutiny. Swallowing, she opened her mouth once again and addressed the shadowy figure in the cage furthest from her.

"I…I do not know you, but I will help you if you promise to hold off on killing Souta nii-chan, because I will not leave this place without him."

"Rin," her brother tried to interrupt but she wouldn't let him.

"I apologize for my earlier rudeness, I was raised to be better than that," looking up, she thought that she saw a tiny flash of gold and knew for a certainty that his attention was focused on her.

"My lord, I know that if Souta trusts you so much, then I should as well. I also realize that I am distasteful to you and that perhaps my brother has offended you in the past, but I ask that you spare our lives for now in view of the circumstances. Please, allow me to serve you in the best way possible and bring the both of you away safely," she bowed deeply as she said the final words and held her prostrate position forcing herself not to show fear in front of the _youkai_. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her and she wondered how she appeared to him.

Minutes ticked by and her fear gave way to irritation – just what was he waiting for? It wasn't everyday that she had to beg for something but here this _youkai_ was forcing her into it and she didn't like it, not one bit. She hated giving into fear and she _really_ hated the fact that she had offered to serve him – dear _Kami_, it sounded like an improper proposition, the way she'd said it. However, if it meant that she could get Souta nii-san out of this fix, she would gladly lay down her life.

"A child every bit as foolish as her brother," she could have sworn that she heard him sigh as he answered her at long last. It was a good thing too because she had been about to demand an answer and that would have been counter-productive.

"So will you show us mercy, my lord," she asked, her voice only slightly strained.

His voice was quiet as he replied, "You have my word," and even quieter, "until we leave this town."

It would have to be enough she decided, there was little time to argue and she sensed that this was the best she could hope for from him.

"Rin," her adopted sibling's voice brought her attention back to him. Their eyes met and she willed him to read her determination. She needed him to understand how cruel of him it would be to force her to abandon him now.

He turned away first and said in resignation, "As you wish…but I want you to free Sesshoumaru-sama first."

_'Why is he so stuck on this youkai?'_ she refrained from voicing the question out loud and shook her head - she would learn the why's and how's at a later time.

Reluctantly turning her feet away from her brother, she moved over to the cage containing the youkai and her breath caught in her throat.

Rin could certainly see more of him from this angle and for one second - when he brought his eyes around to scrutinize her own – she thought that she would drown in his gaze.

Perhaps the strangest thing was that she noticed the expression in those eyes of his before she noticed their color. The young woman saw interest in the look he gave her – curiosity perhaps – before it was skillfully hidden beneath cold indifference, a skill that was evidently well practiced. She searched those orbs further but it wasn't until she realized that she wouldn't get anything else out of him, that she noticed the color of his eyes.

They were gold.

Not the pale shade of brown that appeared to be gold in certain lights, no…these were twin pools of molten gold that went on for forever. A liquid sea upon which two vertical pupils of darkest black floated like lonely boats.

He had beautiful eyes.

Such beautiful, inhuman eyes.

She stared into those eyes of his and with a profound sense of inevitability – the knowledge that this was her future, that _he_ was her future – she whispered his name into the chill of the night.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Please Read and review. Tell me what you think of the changes.


	3. Escape

**REVAMPED**

Yay! I actually had time to update today. :grins: Now then, I'm just brimming with ideas but alas I can't fit them all in one chapter. (Woe ), but I would like to thank the people who reviewed my last chapter, luv ya' long time.

Thanks to: Galandria the Vampire Queen (who was also my very first reviewer "thank you"), Marnika, silverninja, and New Fan (jh) (you know who you are: smile: I'm glad you think my story is original 'cause that's what I was going for)

Alrighty then, a few explanations, Sesshoumaru is the main focus of this chapter and there'll be few flashbacks but I won't you everything yet, mwahahah :ahem: Anyways, if it seems like Sess is a schizophrenic, well lets just say that his youkai blood is the equivalent to a human conscience (albeit with vastly different values). How you ask? Well, just wait and see.

More talking, because I'm trying to get the boring stuff out of the way first in this story.

**NOTE:** Okay, I know that people have had battles over what the fur draped around Sesshoumaru's shoulder is. Is it a tail or is it for decoration? I heard somewhere that Rumiko Takahashi said that it is indeed his tail, and I like the sound of that. So a tail it is. Don't be silly and flame me over it.

Almost forgot the Disclaimer.

I don't own, so leave me alone. (Kinda dumb but I didn't think about this one too much)

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 2**

**Escape**

_Humans_. The air was filled with their stench.

_'Dirty humans with their filthy blood.'_

_'How his claws ached to feel that very same blood running off of them as he exterminated these mortals._

At times like this, he swore that his _youki_ had a mind of its own; or maybe it was his baser nature showing through.

Whatever the case, he could put a voice to the urges that clawed their way under his skin and into his brain.

"_Kill them all_," it whispered to him.

"_Show them who truly rules_."

He wanted to, so very badly, he wanted to give in to the voice but he pushed it down instead – his revenge would come soon enough - and considered his predicament. Two years ago, his forces had been on the verge of winning, just two years.

How intriguing that so much could change in so short a time.

Two years ago he wouldn't have bothered with the human who sat in the cage adjacent to his.

Two years ago he would have won total victory and these audacious _worms_ wouldn't have sealed him up in this cage. Two years ago, he could have killed that woman before she did the damage she had done.

_'Life is overflowing with surprises, isn't it,'_ he thought sardonically.

**Flashback**

_His downfall had begun that day, on a normal day for him._

_The sun was shining high in the sky._

_The ground below was strewn with bodies._

_And he alone moved, his steps slow and measured as he traversed the path between heaven and earth. At the moment he was navigating his way through what had been an army screaming defiance at him not ten-minutes earlier._

_Now they lay dead at his feet._

_Pitiful testament to what happened to those who opposed him._

_Humans - they were such fleeting creatures._

_The familiar stench of death perfumed the air and he hadn't minded so much really, despite the fact that he hated the way humans smelled._

_He had often supposed that he wasn't bothered because it meant that he had fewer mortals to deal with and that was always a good thing._

_And so onward he trekked, brushing by the corpses and the many faces twisted in pain and terror. They had gained their just reward for daring to defy him; for thinking that they had a right to what was his._

_He had turned to leave, long, silver hair and pelt swaying in the gentle breeze as he prepared to leave._

_It was then that it reached his sensitive nostrils._

_The faint smell of pain._

_**Live**__, human pain._

_It was coming from the direction of the forest._

_ He snorted in brief annoyance before following the scent._

_They were like roaches, these mortals._

_One human, he had learned, could ruin a lot of careful planning and he didn't want it to be known just yet that he'd decimated their numbers as much as he had. He wanted to break their morale and discourage more rebellion in one fell swoop. It could become difficult if this human survived._

_****_**End Flashback**_****_

Sesshoumaru's ears perked up as he heard someone approaching and he turned his head slightly to see who it was. Was it that idiotic human who enjoyed tormenting him so? He half-way wished that the dirty soldier would try to lay a hand on him – thinking that he would be protected by the barrier sealing him in the cage. He would take great pleasure in tearing off an arm or two.

However, the steps were far too light to be male and he narrowed his eyes at the approaching figure, knowing that she couldn't see him. Raising his nose up a bit, the _inu-youkai_ sniffed, trying to catch her scent. But she wasn't close enough. The barrier surrounding his cage impaired this, one of the senses he relied on most, and he felt his annoyance kick itself up yet another notch.

They had better _**pray**_ that they could kill him before he got his claws on them.

The female's back was turned towards him as she conversed with his fellow prisoner and he could only see that she was dressed in a kimono of very low quality and had long, black hair. She was also very small, a child perhaps. His _youki_ was curious, prodding towards her. There was something…unusual about the girl.

It was partly why he spoke up in the first place - to give himself the opportunity to see her face and ascertain what it was that intrigued him so.

The other reason was that she too carried the sense of something profound, yet it was even stronger around her than his companion.

She turned to look at him and he suddenly found himself remembering that day two years ago.

**Flashback**_****_

_It was in a clearing that Sesshoumaru found him, the source of that pained smell._

_ The man's face was plastered in blood, some his and the rest from others. His armor was so damaged that he was certain it would be useless against his claws - not that any man-made armor could ever stand up to youkai strength in the first place. The human had apparently been expecting him because, though he was lying against a tree in exhaustion, he held his sword up, the tip wavering._

_The inu-youkai had the distinct impression that this human was the type of individual who would normally wield a sword only in the defense of others, never in behalf of himself. It was a trait that made for a poor soldier. And it was unlikely that he would survive another battle._

_So he would do him a favor and make sure that he didn't live to see another battle._

_The Taiyoukai of the West calmly drew his sword, deciding that he would make this quick - his prey wasn't going anywhere._

_Brown eyes lifted themselves up at his approach and blinked in surprise._

_"You…you're a youkai?" he asked in bewilderment as if not quite believing what he was seeing._

_**'Hardly something an intelligent being would ask, when it's so obvious'**__ he had thought, his steps never slowing. He doubted that there were humans running around with crimson stripes on each cheek - like his own - and blue crescents decorating their foreheads._

_"What else would I be human," he had replied, wondering why he was even bothering to exchange wordswith a lesser being - especially one who would soon be a corpse, if he had anything to say about it._

_"But you, you look like a human."_

_"Do I now?" Sesshoumaru asked, bristling inwardly at his unintentional insult. He flexed his claws, drawing the man's attention to hands that no human would have._

_As if finally realizing that he was in danger, the warrior asked, "Have you come to kill me then, youkai?"_

_It was the way he said it that gave him pause, not the words themselves._

_Most humans fluctuated between begging for their lives and swearing to take him with them. Not a one had ever looked him in the eye and calmly asked what he intended to do._

_**'Is his head damaged?'**_

_"Why else would I bother with you human?"_

_**'Perhaps now he will beg me for mercy.'**_

_To his infinite surprise – expressed via one blink – the man smiled._

_He SMILED…_

_…And said softly, "Ah, I suppose it's too much to ask for mercy then, lord?"_

_"Far too much," came the cold reply._

_"Then allow me the honor of telling you who it is that is about to die at your hands."_

_He wondered what it was that prompted him to nod his permission but he had and the human continued on._

_"This, your humble servant, tells you that he is a worthless man. He deluded himself into thinking that he could change himself in order to survive this war but it would seem that he never has been nor ever will be suited to the battlefield. This man's name is Higurashi Souta."_

_The human fell silent then and Sesshoumaru hadn't known what to make of him but since it seemed that he was done with his speech, he raised his sword arm and prepared to deliver the finishing blow._

_The man's eyes were very gentle and he whispered quietly, "Tell me, lord, who is it that sends me from this world?"_

_Again, without his permission, his body acted on its own and he gave the human his name. _

_"It is Sesshoumaru who brings your life to its end."_

_The man's face lit up with such joy that he was taken aback._

_How strange to receive such a bright smile for something as simple as learning his name._

_Slowly, the mortal bent his head down, offering his neck for the killing stroke, lids obscuring his clear eyes._

_For the first time in his life he actually had to force himself to kill a human._

_He raised his sword, never taking his eyes from the human._

_And right when he moved to sever that frail column in half, he heard the man say gently, "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama."_

_****_**End Flashback**

As he had thought, she was indeed small. Had he been able to stand, he would have towered over her by almost two heads. He might have also been right in assuming that she was a child, until he noticed the swell of her breasts and curves that not even a kimono could hide.

Everything about her was delicate and he restrained himself from reaching out to see if she would break if he touched her.

It would have been impossible anyways since she was well out of his reach.

He sent out a few tendrils of his youki and it sought her out immediately, sending him feedback in a clear message. '_Interesting, I want to touch. Let me touch.'_

His curiosity was piqued and he refrained from scowling. What was it about these particular mortals that his _youki_ found so interesting? Any second now and he would be asking himself questions, raising suppositions, and wanting to know more about the girl.

Curse him and this curiosity of his.

Curse this whole scenario which threatened to be a repeat of the past.

The human was begging him to be kind to his sister, now, and he decided that the human most certainly _was_ out of his mind if he thought he could be swayed yet again by his pretty words.

And yet, even now he was thinking of doing just that. Even when the girl mistakenly compared him to a human – much the same way her sibling had upon their first meeting two years ago – and his _youki_ blazed up…he actually found himself mulling over the likely results of sparing another human from death.

The longer he was in her presence, the more similarities he drew between her and her brother. But still, something was different about her.

There was a sort of strength present in her every word and gesture. Yes, a type of defiance that shined through to him even when she was trembling from feeling the lash of his _youki_. She couldn't even fully mask it when she spoke up in behalf of her brother and herself and bowed - the very picture of obedience and humility.

He suspected that only he heard the message hidden in her request.

_'I will obey you only because I must but don't expect this from me at all times.'_

Against his will, the corner of mouth twitched – how had his servant gained such an audacious creature for his sister?

Here he could crush her without a thought and she still stood up to him – challenging him as she asked for her life whereas her brother had been the epitome of mildness when they first met.

It was an amusing and completely new experience for him.

_'Will she prove even more interesting than her brother?'_

_'Is this why I kept the human around for so long? So that he would lead me to her?'_

_'Why is she this way, what makes her so spirited?'_

He was getting curious again – what was it that fascinated him so about these particular humans?

It was enough to decide him on what course of action to take - there really weren't many options at this point anyways.

Sesshoumaru gave his word not to harm her or her brother until they were away from the town and he saw understanding in her eyes. She knew that this was the most she could expect from him.

What an astute child.

The girl came closer to his cage at her brother's insistence that she "free Sesshoumaru-Sama first."

He kept his eyes on her as she drew near, picking out even more details from her face as she stopped before him and stared - as most humans did upon seeing him. His night vision was just as good as his day, so he had no trouble mapping out her features.

Her skin was pale, but not fashionably so. There were a few light brown spots which indicated that she spent a good amount of time in the sun. Her nose was small like the rest of her but her lips were surprisingly pouty in contrast. Her cheeks were softly rounded curves that completed her heart-shaped face and her hair was the dark shade of midnight. Rough in appearance – probably because it was uncombed - but very fine and he had the very irrational urge to explore the obvious contradiction with a searching hand.

_ 'Is it as soft as it looks?'_

_'How long is it?'_

How fortuitous that the bars - as well as his hard-earned self-control - kept the frivolous desire in check.

The girl was still staring at him and he was tempted to say something rude but she beat him to it by wrinkling her brow and asking, of all questions, "Are you _sure_ you aren't a _she?_"

A gentle breeze blew through the courtyard as his mind processed what she had just had the _nerve_ to voice. Yes, he suspected that people had often mistaken him for a woman but, as of yet, _no one_ – not even his fellow _youkai_ – had actually had the guts to voice it out loud.

_'Is she brave or is she foolish?'_

He decided on the latter as she placed a hand over her mouth, as if that could somehow force the statement to go back in instead of hanging in the air like it was.

"Ara, ara, I guess I shouldn't have said that. It was very rude of me."

He shot a very pointed "_and-you-want-me-to-spare-her?!" _glare at her brother, who looked as if he were about to be sick.

"Rin-chan, it is…unseemly to be so forward with Sesshoumaru-sama," he chastised her.

"But Souta, I'm sure there are plenty of people who have wanted to ask him that. They were probably just too scared, right?" she gave him a knowing look and he was torn between a vague sort of admiration and conviction that she really _did_ want him to kill her.

"And," she added, "I don't see why he needs you to answer for him. In know he's perfectly capable of doing it himself. So tell me Sesshoumaru-sama, do you or do you not get mistaken for a woman sometimes?"

_'Where does this forwardness come from and why is she wasting time such a frivolous question?'_

_'I have no obligation to make a reply to it.'_

_'…'_

_'How would she react if I answer?'_

He couldn't believe that he was actually thinking about this seriously.

Her brother opened and closed his mouth, apparently struggling for the proper words to keep his sister's head attached to her body.

Strangely enough, it was the sight of this that prompted him to take action.

_'Why _**do**_ I need someone else to defend me?'_

He looked the girl in the eye – such a warm shade of brown they were – and said firmly, "This Sesshoumaru is most assuredly a male, human. I have no need to prove anything to you."

Her reply was a bright smile and a nod, "I thought so, I just wanted to see how you would react. I think I can see why Souta would be willing to serve you. I bet you don't talk about yourself much, do you?"

Why she was choosing _now_ of all times to analyze him, he wasn't sure, but his ears picked up the sounds of increased movement. It wouldn't be long before they were found trying to escape.

As if reading his mind, she clapped her hands together and said, "Ah, _gomen, gomen_ - now isn't the time, is it? I get so carried away sometimes."

_'Sometimes?'_ she had already committed at least three "Sesshoumaru no-no's" within the past ten minutes. More than anyone else had gotten away with in such a short amount of time.

The girl reached for the lock while he processed this new experience and he slid his neutral face into place. Her hands were steady – no hesitation at all – and for all appearances she seemed to lack any sort of fear that he would tear her to pieces once she freed him. Where was the sheer terror that had held her in its claws earlier? Humans weren't known to trust _youkai_ so easily.

How she knew what he was thinking a _second time_, he wasn't sure, but she paused before her hands actually came in contact with the lock and said in all seriousness, "I know you'll keep your word."

The serious look on her face told him that she honestly did believe that.

The girl was a marvel. And he just had to know…

"And how could you possibly know anything about me? Do you dare to presume that you can ever know this Sesshoumaru?"

_'Give me a reason to kill you girl.'_

A tiny frown creased her brow before she shook her head and looked him straight in the eye. Not once did she flinch as she replied softly, "You haven't killed nii-chan, yet."

And for the first time in his long life, Sesshoumaru – Taiyoukai of the entire Western Lands – had nothing to say in reply.

It would appear that this was going to be a night of many firsts for him.

Taking advantage of his rare moment of speechlessness, she again reached for the lock and he watched as a tiny spark lit between her hand and the device. His _youki_ drew back instinctively and a low growl tore itself from his throat – her actions screamed "miko" at him.

'_Kill her. Kill her. She'll make you hurt, just like the other's who trapped you' _his instincts were screaming at him. Would his _youki_ make up its mind already?! First it was entranced and now it was screaming bloody murder. Which was it?

He balled his hands into fists, and the pain of claws digging into flesh brought him back to himself. He took a deep breath and pushed the voice to the back of his head, focusing on the slip of a girl before him.

'_Calm yourself, this girl isn't __**her'**_ he told himself.

He narrowed his eyes at her and forced himself to hold still.

No, this girl wasn't **her** - the elder and more intense of the two women who had trapped him. He had known the moment they erected a barrier around him that she was the one who had hated him the most.

She was the one who wanted him dead.

Not the girl currently trying to free him.

She was trusting in him, at this moment, to an unsettling degree. However, he could understand, in part, why he'd had the feeling that she was different. _Miko _were fairly rare these days but he had yet to meet one who didn't try to "purify" him the moment they saw him. The girl before him had the scent and feel of a _miko_ but she wasn't acting like one. That in itself was odd. Wouldn't her powers and instincts be urging her to destroy him the same way his was clamoring for her death?

"Are you well, Sesshoumaru-sama?" there was the tiniest trace of worry in her voice.

"It's nothing, continue," he shot what had to be his thousandth glare at "Souta nii-chan"who shrugged. Apparently, his servant wasn't about to offer an explanation for why his sister was a _miko_ in the first place and, more importantly, one who apparently didn't mind helping out a _youkai_ or two.

Whatever the reason, she was able to unlock the door with ridiculous ease and it rankled. How easy a task it was for a mere child and yet _the_ Sesshoumaru could not unlatch a simple door?

He was going to _**kill**_ the _miko_ who had sealed him into that accursed cage the first chance he got.

Sesshoumaru slipped out and stood, stretching to his full height - meaning he dwarfed the girl. She took her time looking him over, brown eyes lingering on his facial marks and the fur draped over his shoulder, where they stopped. Her hands made an effort to rise but she controlled them, no doubt sensing that nothing good would come of trying to pet his tail.

She opted to bring her eyes back to his and gave him a – shy? – smile.

"You _are_ very beautiful," she half-whispered as if they were sharing some sort of secret. He blinked, cocked his head a fraction of an inch, and turned away; he really didn't know what to make of her. The female sighed and made her way over to the other human's cage.

As if the gods had been waiting for that exact moment to ruin their plans they heard the bells ringing out an alarm and the sound of many footsteps assaulted his sensitive ears. Things were rapidly taking a downward spiral and his _youki_ wasn't sufficiently replenished for him to take on another crowd of humans without receiving serious damage.

He despised the thought of running away but he wasn't a fool and, hopefully, neither was she.

Looking back at the girl, he saw her fumbling at the lock on her sibling's cage, but it wasn't the same as his own.

Sesshoumaru could smell her beginning to panic and he looked at her brother over her head. An unspoken message passed between the two of them and he moved forward in enough time to see the man reach through the bars and give her a none-too-gentle shove that sent her sprawling.

"Leave me Rin!"

Her eyes clearly gave away the sense of betrayal she felt at his actions and she was clumsy getting to her feet. But neither of these things prevented her from moving towards his cage once more and pressing herself close, tears evident at the corners of her eyes.

"No, Souta. I won't leave you. I won't be left behind again!"

"Rin, _please_… Do this for me. I've lived my life and I have few regrets. I _need _you to go with Sesshoumaru. It won't be safe for you to go back home anyways. I'd rather you went with him."

"But nii-chan…" she looked very young all of a sudden and even the _Taiyoukai_ found himself compelled to move just a bit closer.

He refrained from doing so however – he was more aware of the danger they were in than the two siblings because of his enhanced senses. He could make out the individual clinks of metal as swords were drawn and the soldiers were close enough, now, that he could actually pick up the sound of their heartbeats. He couldn't even count how many there were but they were definitely heading for the courtyard. Then, an even worse sound reached him. The creak of timbers rose above all other noise.

They were closing the gates!

A growl of irritation escaped him. There was no _time_ for this idiocy.

For once, the human was in accord with him because he took his eyes off of the girl and said as firmly as he could, "Please watch over her for me, my lord."

That was all he needed to hear. Moving faster than any human, he scooped the woman-child up and tucked her beneath his arm before making a dash for the gates.

They just managed to slip out before the heavy doors closed behind them, effectively separating the _youkai_ and the human girl from her brother.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Lot's o' changes, eh? As always please read and review. I hope I'm not ruining the story for you guys.


	4. Burning

**REVAMPED**

Whew, I'm relieved. For a second I thought that only two people reviewed but it was just taking a long # time. Looks like I have to step up the pace if I want people to read. Hope my silly ranting doesn't put anyone off or that I didn't make Sess seem too schizo. I really want people to enjoy this story since I enjoy writing…er…typing it. And about my silliness…well, this story is going to have some dark parts so I have to get all the humor out now before I have to be really serious.

To those who reviewed, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and sincerely appreciate the fact that you find my story interesting. Like I said this story will move a little slowly at first, kind of like a roller coaster with lots of ups and downs.

Thanks to: New Fan, Anhimals, Galandria the Vampire Queen (Thanks for reviewing each chapter), and Marnika (Thanks for reviewing each chapter as well)

This makes me a happy kitty.

Disclaimer: I don't :sniff: own :sniff: Inu-yasha :Waaahhh :

A few words:

Nee-chan – an affectionate term for older sister

-kun – an honorific use for boys.

Miko - a priestess

Youki – a youkai's power

-chan – an affectionate term attached to the end of a name. Usually used for children and close friends (esp. between girls).

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 3**

**Burning**

_**'Look at you**__, running with a __frail__** human**__ girl. __**Touching**__ her as if you were __**equals**__**Running away from humans**__ as if you couldn't demolish them with a mere thought.'_

Sesshoumaru's mind was in turmoil.

Had he been at his best, with his _youki_ at full capacity, he could have easily slaughtered the humans who sought to entrap him. In fact, he could probably have done away with them at that moment since he was free of that accursed miko's cage and every step he took seemed to fill him with a power. It gathered to him, dancing across his skin and hooking its claws into his very being with such pleasurable pinpricks of pain that even he was feeling lightheaded.

_"You can exact your revenge now,'_ he felt his _youki_ whispering in his very bones and he almost stopped…until he remembered exactly where he was.

If he gave into the temptation – the desire for blood – it would bring _her_ running. In his current state, he couldn't even begin to hope that he could fight her and prevail. She was simply too strong, abnormally so for a _miko_, and the other girl was nothing to sneeze at either. Granted, they had caught him by surprise which certainly contributed to his failure to break free his but…he would not soon forget that the two of them had subdued him through sheer force.

He glanced down at the human girl tucked underneath his arm and thought _'Not even a miko with latent powers can defy one of her well-trained sisters.'_ He had a sneaking suspicion that this girl's powers were either undeveloped or unknown. It would certainly explain why she had given him aid in the first place. As far as he knew, _miko_ were trained from an early age to purify pretty much anything that carried a _youki_.

A pity really because he would have loved to see what a battle between two _miko_ was like. Would they rely on force or were there more subtle tricks that they could use? How fortuitous that he just might be holding the key – literally – to discovering more about the holy women and finding a way to battle them equally.

With that in mind he sped up - blocking out the muffled protest of the girl with him - and rounded a corner before stopping and looking down at the creature twisting about beneath his arm. She obviously didn't want to be where she was and he didn't like her being there.

It would seem that they were in complete agreement. And the _taiyoukai _expressed his gratitude by loosening his hold and dumping her unceremoniously on the ground.

He only paid her half a mind as she struggled to right herself while trying to preserve her precarious modesty. His unexpected move had sent the hem of her kimono skittering up to mid-thigh and a great deal of leg was revealed to him. Sesshoumaru mentally chided himself for noticing even that little detail - as if _he_ would ever be interested in a mere human girl. He cocked his ears as he listened for sounds of pursuit and relaxed just a bit when he heard none.

"Where do you reside, child?" he asked, looking down at her with a casual glance.

"My name is Rin, it isn't that difficult to remember," she spat out, obviously miffed that that he had forcibly taken her away from her brother _and _dumped her on the ground like so much refuse. However, he was in no mood to deal with the tantrum that was brewing and he gave her a look that said his patience was wearing thin and it was in her best interests to provide the desired info.

She growled, not unlike an _inu-youkai_, and said, "Well, if you _must_ know, we live on the western end of town. Our house is right in front of a shrine on the outskirts."

He stiffened at the thought of going near a shrine before nodding – holy places didn't affect him much but his body was recalling the pain it had been subjected to by _that_ woman. He looked at the girl and pondered what her value was likely to be in lieu of her brother. She certainly wouldn't be useful in a fight against her fellow humans and mortals moved at speeds that were nothing short of laughable. His main concern was if she would be of any use against the _miko_.

If he learned nothing else about them, he knew that humans thrived on bonds with each other – be it with family, friends, or others. They could even form attachments to certain places and objects. To make a long story short, he had no idea if his presence near the girl's home and shrine would trigger some sort of alarm to bring the _miko_ running. And furthermore, if the holy women came, would the obviously unskilled girl at his feet be able to stop them?

The answer was a resounding "no."

Brave this Rin might very well be, but that could not compensate for knowledge and experience. Not only that, but she was such a tiny human - a child with a woman's curves really. Her arms were so small and she weighed so little and he just _knew_ that he could snap her like a twig.

Without really thinking about it, he found his eyes drawn to her exposed legs. Golden irises tracked the play of muscles beneath her skin…

_('So very smooth'_ his youki murmured.)

…from thigh to ankle…

(_'Certainly very soft.'_)

…and traveled back up again...

_'I wonder if…'_ his eyes widened and he broke the thought off – his own thought this time, not one of those strange ruminations his _youki_ forced upon him.

The realization that he actually might be – dare he think it – _intrigued_ by a human, who he had known for all of an hour, was a strong enough dose of reality to force his eyes away. Though not before he got an eyeful of her lithe legs

_'Have I gone mad? Did I not promise myself that I would not repeat the mistake I made with her treacherous brother?'_ he wondered. He strongly contemplated killing her right then; to break his word and preserve himself from further corruption. Her brother had been a bad enough influence and now he had to deal with this girl -this potent girl who gave him the impression of a delicate flower with a core of steel.

_Honestly_, had he sustained some sort of brain damage from being imprisoned for so long?

Why was he thinking the way he was? Why was he wondering why her legs were so thin and why hadn't he been unable to look away? And why oh why was he thinking such asinine thoughts when they were supposed to be escaping from this human infested town?

The taiyoukai took a half step back and glared his frustration into a set of dark brown eyes that glowered right back at him. Those brown eyes regarded him with wariness and a refusal to back down, even though he knew fully grown _youkai_ who had nearly wet themselves when he fixed them with the hard stare he was giving her now.

Why wouldn't she fear him again? It would make things so much easier.

If she would but submit, he wouldn't be fighting these insane urges to put his hands on her – to _deign_ to touch a human.

If she would but submit, his curiosity wouldn't be swamping him with question after question about her.

If only she would submit…

He shook his head, ignoring the puzzled look she cast his way and said, with a calm he didn't feel, "Stand up, girl, we need to move."

The young woman's eyes snapped at his words and he almost allowed his mouth to twitch into what passed for his version of a smile. There was something amusing about seeing her being so defiant. He could tell that she was spoiling for a fight as she slowly stood up – her hands clenched tight to her sides.

She braced herself with her legs apart and her hands came unclenched and moved themselves up to rest on her hips. Her stare was intense and her lips compressed themselves into a thin of displeasure.

Her eyes flashed and she said in a dangerously quiet voice, "Before I go with you, let me make one thing clear. I am _not_ my brother. I do not answer to human, or girl, or woman. I know that we have to hurry and I know that could be killed if I am caught. I am also fully aware that you are a powerful person who could kill me as easily as you breathe. You do not have to remind me of it at every turn and I don't have the patience to put up with it. Just because you think humans are worthless doesn't mean I can't value myself. I have a name. It's Rin. You don't lose anything by using it. If that bothers you, then you can leave me here and I will face the consequences."

Rin fell silent then and stared him dead in the eye, daring him to leave her here and break his word to watch over her. Her chin lifted up a fraction and, as loathe as he was to admit it, he found himself impressed.

Souta had been right when he said that she was unique. He could kill her. He could snap every bone in her tiny body and feed her to one of his servants who preferred human flesh. He could torture or maim her in any number of ways because no one…_no one _talked to Sesshoumaru like that and lived.

But he could not find the desire to do any of those things. _'Truly, I have gone mad,'_ he thought as he moved closer to her. She didn't flinch at his near proximity and she didn't bat an eye either, when he bent down and caught her up in his arms.

_'Perhaps she is right…this time.'_ He told himself as her looked down at the girl and some sort of understanding passed between them.

"Understand that I will indulge you only in this…Rin," he said quietly.

"Perhaps…" was her cryptic reply.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Souta watched as the firelight from the torches moved back and forth in front of his cage. He watched and waited. The soldiers were waiting for something and he had a sinking suspicion that it was some_one_ that they waited for. Someone that he knew very well.

For a second, he had this insane desire escape, but the time for that was well past. _She_ was going to come for him and when she came, all of his hopes would be null and void. He only hoped that he could appeal to the last shreds of her humanity. Or at least, that he could use his last familial ties with her to slow her down because she was unlikely to overlook the escape of a prize like Sesshoumaru.

He felt eyes upon him and he turned, seeking the direction from which the person's gaze originated. The men around him were eerily silent and they all avoided looking at him but there was one person making their way towards him and his brown eyes widened when he saw who it was.

It was a woman and one who he had known all his life. How many years had passed since he'd seen her last? His big sister? His Kagome?

He didn't think he'd ever be able to get over how much more mature she looked, though. Gone was the awkward girl of fifteen who had gone away to become a _miko_. Now, she was a woman and a powerful one at that. In fact, the only woman stronger than she would be the one he was terrified of meeting. Fortunately, _that_ woman hadn't come with her and he would be spared for a little while longer.

However, he needed to keep his guard up. The last time he'd seen the approaching woman, she had been helping her fellow _miko_ capture Sesshoumaru. He could not allow his feelings to get in his way and impair his judgement - Rin's life was on the line as well.

She stopped in front of the cage and simply stared at her, her eyes moving over his form and noting the changes that the war and his subsequent defection to the enemy had wrought. _'What does she see when she looks at me?'_ His apprehension grew the longer she remained silent and he decided to speak up lest he drive himself mad with wondering.

"It's been a while, hasn't it _Nee-chan_," he said, giving his sister a weak smile.

An equally small smile appeared on her face and she moved forward, resting a delicate hand on the bars. "Souta-kun," there was unmistakable relief in Kagome's voice.

"I was afraid that you wouldn't talk to me. I'm so, so sorry for getting you into this predicament. I didn't know you would be captured too. I…" she bit her lip and her eyes darted to the side, checking to see if anyone else was within earshot before speaking her next words.

"I might be able to get you out of this. Surely it was one of his minions who set him free. Kikyou can't possibly connect you to that _youkai's_ escape."

"Gome-chan," he said, using her pet name to soften the impact of what he was about to say.

"I am happy, so very _happy_ that you haven't changed much. But you know as well as I do that it wasn't a _youkai_ who freed her. No _youkai_ under his command would have been strong enough to break through the barrier that you and Kikyou erected around his cage. I've known him for good while Kagome and believe me when I say that he is the _strongest_."

"But…" Kagome began.

"No, Kagome, let me finish. Not even a normal human could have broken through it but we both know someone who could _and_ would. I think you know who I'm talking about."

She bit her lip and nodded her head slowly, a sad look in her doe-like eyes.

"We kept Rin's abilities hidden from _her_ Kagome. Do you remember the promise we made when you first realized that she had the potential to become a _miko_? We can't let Kikyou find out that it was Rin. You _know_ what she would do. You know that she isn't the big sister she used to be. Who knows how she would react if she found out that one of her own kind had aided a _youkai_."

"I know how she is. But I don't know what to do and I still don't understand why you defended that _youkai_ Souta-kun. They've plagued us for so long and have shed so much blood. I would think that you, of all people, would have been glad to eliminate such a powerful one. He wanted to kill us, Souta. I've never felt such hatred in my life." She shuddered and his heart went out to her. Sesshoumaru was formidable indeed and woe to anyone who earned his ire.

Still, there were things she needed to know before judging his lord. Things she wouldn't have learned as a _miko_ lest she begin to doubt herself. Things he had learned only because he had been living among _youkai_ for almost two years.

"Gome-chan, things are not always so black and white. Humans are not innocent of all bloodshed. How many times have panicked villagers set fire to their own forests just because a few lesser youkai had taken up residence there? How many times have innocent _hanyou_ – creatures who are hated by both _youkai_ and human alike – been hunted down and slaughtered? How many times have you seen a woman turned out of her home or worse just because she fell in love with a _youkai_?"

"But that _youkai_ reeked of evil, Souta. What else am I to think?"

"'Gome-chan, no, Kagome…who owned this land a few hundred years ago?"

"I…I don't know," she answered.

"He did, Kagome. Rather, his family did. I don't know all of the details but he was forced to leave this land some years ago – long before even our grandparents were born - and he came back to find us squatting here. Our rulers would never tell you this, but he demanded his due once he returned and do you know what they did?"

"No," her voice was breathless as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"They brought in every priest and _miko_ they could find and tried to purify him out of existence. He's no fool, however, and he made his escape, though he almost died. He has a lot of pride, Kagome, and that was when he swore that he would take his lands back by force if he had to."

"But his armies, they've killed so many innocent people. He isn't the only one who has been wronged and yet he takes the lives of people who could care less who rules over them – they simply want to live in peace," she was frowning in thought now.

"I know that Kagome, and I've been trying to change him little by little with minor success. But he's young and there are some things he just doesn't understand. That's why I brought him here. I wanted him to meet Rin. You know how she affects people…right?" he gave her another smile and she responded with one of her own.

"Yes, how could I possibly forget about Rin-chan. I suppose she's with _him_ now, then?"

He nodded and offered up a silent prayer that his hunch about the possibilities between his lord and his little sister would prove to be correct.

"I'll bet she's giving him what for, huh, Souta?"

"Of course. He didn't even know what hit him the first time she asked one of her infamous questions." They grinned at each other in silence, each reminiscing over something completely off the wall that Rin had asked them.

"If she's with him," Kagome said after a moment, "then I guess I can see what I can do to stall Kikyou. No guarantees though. Who knows what will happen if she gets her hands on him again. Like you said, she isn't the same person she used to be and she frightens me sometimes."

"Same here," he replied solemnly.

She turned and began to walk away when he stopped her once more with a soft "Kagome."

Looking back at him she inclined her head to indicate that she was listening and waited.

"Thank you, Gome-chan, for everything. If anything should happen to me…I…I want you to know that I love you and I'm happy to have you as a sister."

The smile she gave him in return was a beautiful sight to behold but it was tempered with sadness because they both knew that their eldest sister was probably beyond all help now. Kikyou was not likely to let him live for long if she realized his part in Sesshoumaru's escape. There wasn't much that either of them could do now but pray.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_"Dear, Kami. I've lost whatever mind I might have had,'_ Rin thought. She didn't know why she couldn't just sit by quietly and hold her peace, at least until they were well out of danger but, _nooooo_, she just had to let her stubborn nature get the best of her. What in the world would Souta nii-chan have thought of her talking to Sesshoumaru - the creature who was going to get her out of this situation alive - like that?

Maybe it was something that had been building up inside for some time. Her adopted parents loved her but her father was very strict - too strict at times - and his punishments could be severe. After Souta left, her buffer against her father's temper had gone with him and, though he didn't abuse her, he made her feel so worthless at times. It got so bad at one point that she wondered if it would have been better for her to have died in the forest where they found her those ten, long years ago.

She suspected that her father acted the way he did because of the choices made by his own children but he refused to tell her much about his two oldest. She didn't really remember any of her adopted siblings besides Souta and the only thing she could recall was that they were both female and they both served in a temple somewhere as _miko_. Whatever his reasons, she had more or less tamped down her outgoing personality to maintain a peaceful front for the strict master of the Higurashi household.

It started the day after Souta left, when her father said that she wasn't lady-like enough. To please him, she stopped running everywhere she went and climbing trees. When he said that needed to be refined, so as not to embarrass their house, she forced herself to sit and be studious. When he insulted her, she took the blame and promised to improve in hopes of gaining his favor. When he spoke of her as if she were an object to be bargained away in marriage – and she'd had her fair share of suitors – she assumed a meek air and pretended that all was well.

But Rin was a fighter. She had so much pent up energy – six years worth – that all she needed was someone to push the right buttons. Sneaking out of the house had been as much an act of defiance towards her adopted father, as it had been to rescue Souta. She felt like a bird, whose wings had been clipped, but she found herself ready to fly again with each step away from the Higurashi household. She had known, somehow, that her life was about to change and she was certain of it the moment she stared into Sesshoumaru's eyes for the first time.

Het words of a few moments ago had just tumbled out without her permission and now she could not take them back. No, she _would not _take them back. And she knew that her fate was sealed as soon as she finished demanding that Sesshoumaru respect her and use her name.

The look he gave her was unreadable but actions spoke louder than words. She was expecting him to kill her for daring to speak to him like that. But he surprised her instead by pulling her into his arms and swinging her up so that he actually cradled her in his arms, well, sort of. It took every ounce of self-control she possessed to keep her surprise from showing and she hoped that he couldn't see the flush that was starting to creep up from her neck.

His chest was warm, she noticed as he held her close. Not only warm but it was broad too and she kind of felt bad for teasing him about his looks. Yes, he was beautiful but he wasn't feminine, not really. His hair was long and when she first saw it, she thought it looked like liquid moonlight. His face looked to have been carved from alabaster - smooth and pale – with crimson stripes across his cheeks and an indigo crescent adorning his forehead. And he was tall - easily the tallest person she'd ever met. He made her feel tiny and just a little bit weak – even more so because he had lifted her without effort, which told her that he was very, _very_ strong.

Perhaps the strangest thing about him, though, was the white fur thrown over his shoulder. Just what in the world was it? She could understand the dangerous looking armor that he wore with two spikes on his chest – she noticed those because they were currently poking her in the side – and what looked like a loop of spikes moving over his left shoulder. However, what use could he have for the fur? She again felt the urge to touch it but refrained as he told her that he would indulge her in the use of her name.

In typical Rin-fashion, she couldn't help but wonder if there were other things he would let her have her way in as well. Her reply had been vague on purpose because his acquiescence in this meant that there was probably more to him. Oh, he had a prickly personality – and she would have to be careful – but nothing intrigued her more than a puzzle. And she found herself looking forward to figuring him out.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"What do we do now Sesshoumaru-Sama?" Rin asked from the comfort of his arms, dragging him away from his thoughts. He had been trying to figure out her odd response to his earlier statement when she made her inquiry.

Looking down, he found himself momentarily entranced by her warm brown eyes before he regained his senses and answered her.

"Now," he said, eyeing the nearest roof, "we move without the hindrance of your slow, human feet." And with that, he gathered his legs beneath him slightly and jumped.

That got a reaction out of her. She let out a squeak of surprise and quickly stifled it by burying her face in the tail draped over his shoulder, her thin arms coming up to wrap around his neck. He found himself amused at her reaction. It might have been juvenile to surprise him so but it he couldn't kill her then he most certainly could use her to gain some form of entertainment.

Sesshoumaru landed so lightly on the roof that she didn't even realize that they were no longer airborne and that the need to cling to him so tightly had passed. He was tempted to mock her for being so scared but he decided instead to take this opportunity to learn more about his charge.

_'In case we should be separated and I need to track her down,'_ he told himself silently, ignoring the part of his _youki_ that leapt at the chance to learn more. He began by turning his head ever so slightly that his nose brushed her hair and he marveled at the soft slide of the strands across the sensitive tip. The _taiyoukai_ took a delicate whiff of her tresses and was pleasantly surprised to find that her scent was tolerable.

More than tolerable actually, it was downright addictive. He had expected to have to dig through the myriad of scents that humans – especially human women – cloaked themselves in, but that wasn't so. She didn't carry the false smell of cherry blossoms or the scent of jasmine. No. She smelled…ripe - the soul-soothing aroma of growing things and the earth after a heavy rain. He opened his mouth slightly and inhaled her scent that way also - rolling her taste on his tongue and finding that he liked taking her in that way as well.

He swayed, feeling heady from scenting her and he had to catch himself lest he drop her, by accident this time. With some effort he pushed away the effect she had on him, irritation swiftly taking its place and he growled into the delicate shell of her ear.

"I have little liking for cowards. You prove my point about humans being inferior since I stopped moving some time ago."

She jerked away to glare at him and caught herself before she went tumbling out of his arms.

"Well, excuse me but I wasn't expecting you to grab me and take off like a madman. A warning would have been nice."

The look he gave her plainly questioned her intelligence as he said in a monotone, "I do not do nice."

"Well you should learn it. Really, I don't know what my brother saw in you to think it would be alright to leave me in your care."

"How interesting that I actually agree with you on that," was his response and he watched her face with well concealed interest to see how she would respond.

"Is that so? Well I…," she trailed off as her eyes fixed on a point over his shoulder and her scent spiked sharply in panic. Turning, he followed the path of her eyes with his own and felt a small pang of consternation. It would seem that their time had been cut drastically short.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sun rose in the east. Rin knew that it always had and always would, unless the gods decided to change that. Add to that the fact that sunrise generally came at the same time each day and it was far too early for it to come. So why was there a massive red glow on the western side of town?

As realization of what that glow meant dawned on her, Rin clutched Sesshoumaru tightly, ignoring the warning growl he gave her for committing such an offense.

She felt her body growing numb as she realized that _**the whole west side of town was burning.**_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Please read and review as always. And this time, there's actually a chapter to follow this one.


	5. Property

**REVAMPED**

Okay then here's the next chapter and I really do apologize for taking so long to update. First it was because of Fanfiction's recent difficulties and later because I just had to start my other story before I lost my idea. I have yet another story to type but that can come later.

Okay then.

Thanks to: New Fan, anhimals, Tejas (nice to meet you) and Galandria the Vampire queen (another special thanks to you as well).

Disclaimer: I own nothink, I came up with nothink, and I'm a penniless nothink so don't sue or you'll get nothink.

(Stupid? I know but that's the way it goes.)

**A HEADS UP:** This chapter might be a little confusing but rest assured, all questions will be answered by the end of this fic. I know you might have a few questions so I'll answer a couple for you here.

**Are Souta, Kikyou, and Kagome related? And why is that?**

- Yes, they are all siblings by blood with Souta being the youngest and Kikyou being the oldest. I made changes to the relationships because you can't really have Kikyou without her having some sort of deep connection to Kagome. In accord with the title and theme of the story I've decided to give them a "tie" via blood relations.

**What is up with Kikyo?**

-I didn't want an evil Kikyou who's evil for no reason, as a lot of AU's tend to portray her. No, she is not schizophrenic. No, she wasn't always what she is in this particular part of my fic. And yes, I will eventually explain what is going on with her.

**Another note:**

When Sesshoumaru or anyone else is thinking I will use regular italics such as the example _'La-dee-da'. _When it is his or someone else's youki its going to be in bold-italics such as this _**'La-dee-da'**_. I am treating his _youki _(youkai energy) as that little voice that people so often use to, either, reason with themselves or bring up truths that he/she would rather deny. Sesshy isn't Schitzo either. And yes, s

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 4**

**Property**

_'Fire is so beautiful,' _Kikyou thought as she walked through the inferno.

The twisted way in which the flames rose, almost as if they were dancing, fascinated her. A small frightened part of her mind told her that a _miko_, such as herself, had no business enjoying such destruction - such glorious, beautiful destruction.

It was most definitely the doing of a youkai, more than likely the same one whose presence had called her to this side a town. It was also likely that the blaze was in retaliation to the acquisition of her newest pet. The oh-so-beautiful Taiyoukai, that she would enjoy breaking. She licked her lips in sweet anticipation. And again that small part of her mind warned her that this pleasure she derived from the thought of torturing and killing another living thing – even a _youkai_ – was not right. It was impure.

She was tainted.

As she hesitated amidst the flames, a memory surfaced from the gaping hole where her past resided.

_"I can't wait until we get back home. Mother and father will be so happy once we've completed out training," Kagome turned and gave her a warm smile, "What do you want to do when we get back?" _

_'Kagome,'_ she thought that name and felt the darkness rooted deep inside of her body retreat for a moment.

Slowly she turned, a look of confusion on her face as she mentally repeated her fellow _miko's _name. East was the direction she needed to take, not west. Not towards home. Home wasn't where she wanted to be. No, home was a place she never wanted to return to, but she _did_ want to see Kagome. She did want to see her little Kagome. She took a step towards the _Daimyo's_ residence and paused, turning that name over and over again in her head.

'_Kagome… Kagome, Kagome, Kagome… Who is Kagome? Kagome is my sister. My little, little sister who looks up to me. And I left her alone to watch a youkai.'_ She felt a brief surge of panic and took another step forward, but the darkness was there. It clawed its way around her insides and twined itself about her heart…and she could feel _her_.

The Kikyou who wasn't Kikyou.

The person who had been conceived by the taint in her power.

That other Kikyou was screaming at her, telling her to forget her sister. To forget her family and enjoy the destruction she could bring because of the increase in her powers.

It took effort, so much effort, to push the voice down and continue on towards the _Daimyo's_ home. She had been so distracted by the presence of the free-roaming _youkai_ who started the fire, that she hadn't noticed the return of a fair amount of her power. And not just any power, no, it was power that she had specifically used to seal a certain _taiyoukai_ in a cage. It could only mean that her prize had found some way to escape and was now on the loose. Her sister would not be safe.

Full lips pressed themselves into a tight line and she called power to herself, sighing at the pleasure it brought and wincing as more of the "taint" flowed into her body along with the power. Manipulating the energy so that it strengthened her limbs, she put on a burst of speed and began to run far faster than any human could without her particular gifts.

She needed to make it back in time to help Kagome before her personality was absorbed into the darkness within her once more.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Jaken-Sama, our lord approaches bearing one other," the _youkai_, a minor fox, said. Jaken nodded before waving his Staff of Heads and causing fire to spew from the man's mouth.

"That is good news, Shouhei," he replied, "I'll finish up here. You take the rest and head back."

"Yes," the fox squeaked out before scampering off.

The toad _youkai _was beyond angry with the humans in this city for humiliating his lord and master. He wanted to make sure that every one of them - whether man, woman, or child - felt his burning anger at them. The _youka_i knew his lord well enough to know that it was what he would want as well for having his pride slighted by these lesser beings.

_'Annoying worms. Worthless trash,'_ he thought, his almost non-existent lips tightening. He was more than ready for his lord to wipe them out of existence.

His ears picked up the sounds of someone moving his way and he paused in his destruction - knowing who it was thanks to the fox _youkai_. Ceasing the stream of fire from his staff for a moment, he took a sniff of the air and frowned. His master was returning, which was good, but he came with a…a human, which was bad – very bad. He swiveled his head about, searching for his master with his large yellow eyes and wondering what his lord could possibly be thinking to bring yet _another _human with him.

Never would he forget that day, two years ago, when Sesshoumaru-Sama strode into his castle with a disheveled human man in tow. Being the loyal servant that he was, Jaken hadn't questioned the human's presence but he didn't like it, not one bit. Bringing a human into a _youkai_ dwelling was unheard of – well almost unheard of – and he had shuddered to think of Sesshoumaru facing the same troubles that his father had. Touga - the previous Inutaisho and Sesshoumaru's father had created a host of problems by bringing his human wife to stay in his home. And many a servant had whispered behind closed doors that Sesshoumaru was following in his father's footsteps by letting the human live in his home. They weren't lovers, of course, but there had been unpleasant rumors circulating around nonetheless.

It had gotten so bad that Jaken wondered if the day would come when Sesshoumaru's retainers would brand him as hypocrite and rebel. He shuddered, closing his large eyes in apprehension. Naturally, he planned to remain loyal to his lord to the end but he did not relish the thought of his master repeating his mistake. And what else could it have been – his bringing that Souta-creature to the palace – but a mistake? Just look where it had landed him. Captured and paraded about town in a cage – he knew because he'd watched it all from afar, atop a hill – because his pet human had decided that it would be good for Sesshoumaru to meet his family.

Deep down, though he refused to admit it, he was more bothered by the thought that the human might have replaced him as Sesshoumaru's confidante. Jaken had known the _taiyoukai_ for more than half of two hundred years (the _inu-youkai's_ age, not his) and he hated the thought of anyone seeking to usurp his position as advisor. _He_ was the young master's family and he personally felt that the _taiyoukai _didn't need any more than what he could provide. To this day, it still rankled when he remembered the human's words to him when he'd confronted the man about corrupting his lord.

_"I can no more corrupt your lord than you can tell him what to do. I do not know what youkai consider as normal, but I know loneliness when I see it. It would take more than you and I to make him happy," the human had said, his brown eyes wise._

It wouldn't have been so bad if the toad _youkai_ hadn't known, in some part of his being, that the human was right. His lord needed something that he couldn't provide and he had been trying to figure out what it was ever since that fateful conversation. _'Ah, Sesshoumaru-Sama, what am I to do?' _he mused to himself as soft footfalls sounded behind him.

He turned, knowing that his lord had sniffed him out at last, and bowed deeply.

"Welcome back, Sesshoumaru-Sama," he said, not yet daring to meet his master's eye.

Instead of his lord responding, a small squeak of shock reached his ears - a _female_ squeak - and he hastily looked up. A girl – a human girl - was sitting there on the ground in front of Sesshoumaru-Sama's feet, having obviously been dumped there unceremoniously. Her brown eyes flashed as she scrambled to her feet, one tiny hand going to her injured derriere.

To the toad's horror, she marched herself up to his lord and hissed out angrily, "What was that for you jerk?!"

Jaken was hard pressed to contain his consternation at: (1) seeing his master arriving with this obviously uncouth human child and (2) the youkai prince's nonchalance about being called names. At second glance, though, he did notice the slight tightening around Sesshoumaru-Sama's mouth. This impertinent little human was playing with fire.

His yellow eye went back and forth between the two, who simply stared at each other, ignoring him completely and he found him horror transforming into annoyance. Why hadn't they at least acknowledged his presence yet?

Deciding to speak up, he fixed baleful eyes on the girl as he addressed Sesshoumaru, "My lord, what is this beast doing here in your presence? Do you wish me to remove her?" Naturally, he was curious as to why his lord hadn't reacted to her insult but he was more than ready to avenge the slight against him if need be.

He was taken aback completely when the girl whirled on him and stomped her way in his direction, her face fixed in a terrifying expression of anger.

"Beast? BEAST?! Do not put me in the same category as a toad like yourself," the bedraggled girl spat, her eyes burning with a fury that reminded him, oddly enough, of his lord when he was in one of his moods.

Shaking off his initial shock, he drew himself up to his full two and a half feet and squeaked out, "I'm quite proud to be a toad. Better a toad than a filthy, lying human."

Her eyes narrowed and she drew her foot back in a clear warning as she hissed, "Do you wish to settle this with a fight, _toad?"_

"Foolish girl," he growled, yellow eyes flashing murder and he shifted his grip on the staff, preparing it to incinerate this idiot child for daring to talk to him like this.

No one was more shocked than he - except for the girl, perhaps – when his lord's deep voice broke into their heated exchange with a threat, "Do that, Jaken and I will kill you where you stand." The toad _youkai_ turned to stare at his lord, his tiny mouth agape.

"My…my lord," he sputtered out, "surely you jest?"

Golden eyes narrowed and the tightness around Sesshoumaru's mouth returned as he replied with a low, dangerous growl, "Since when have I been the sort to make jokes, Jaken?"

Logic kicked in and he realize that he was treading on very dangerous ground. The tiny _youka_i reprimanded himself mentally for getting upset over a silly child at his age. He turned his back contemptuously on the girl and did obeisance to Sesshoumaru as he said mildly, "I beg your forgiveness, my lord, this Jaken did not intend to offend you. Punish me as you see fit."

"I will allow it to pass this time. For now I want you to guide this girl to the forest, about three miles to the west. I will join you shortly."

Sesshoumaru-Sama wanted to leave him with this girl? This violent, uncouth girl? He felt a surge of panic and he couldn't stop the words from coming out, "B…But Sesshoumaru-Sama, where will you go? This Jaken has been awaiting your return for some time and now you will leave him again?"

"Do you question me?" the words were soft but the threat was obvious and Jaken shuddered before bowing low yet again.

"Of course not, Sesshoumaru-Sama. Your humble servant merely wished to gain some idea of how long he would be waiting for your return this time."

The _taiyoukai _merely gave him a look – as if he knew that there was more to his question than that. However, his eyes left the toad and drifted over to catch those of the girl before he spoke his next words.

"If you truly desire to know how long I will be gone, Jaken," he didn't take his eyes off of her as he made his reply, "perhaps I can satisfy you in this. I will be gone for as long as it takes to teach the humans in this paltry town a lesson."

The look in his lord's eyes promised death to any and everything that breathed in this town and he was glad that he wasn't in their shoes. The toad looked over at the girl and noted that – while her face was still set in a stubborn expression – her skin had paled. He smiled at that. _'Good, the little wench should be scared. She obviously needs to learn what it means to fear the greatest youkai ever born.'_

"As you wish my lord," was what he said out loud.

"Excuse me, but don't I get a say in what happens to me?" the girl broke in. Her voice wasn't quite as strong as it had been before but it was obvious that she was stubborn. Even Jaken would never think to push his lord so far.

"I do not like this toad – I don't even know him," she continued, "- and I have to see if my family is well…"

"If they have not died from Jaken's fire, there is still little point in you searching for them," Sesshoumaru cut her off,"Your brother thrust you upon me without fully repaying his debt. You belong to me until it is paid."

"Debt?! What debt? And who are you to stake any sort of claim on me when I risked my life to set you free?"

"Oh? As I recall you came to set your brother free and you would have left me if he hadn't insisted that I be freed first. Do not twist the situation, Rin," her name sounded mocking on his tongue.

"Besides, your brother was my property as far as I am concerned because I allowed him to live when I would have ended his existence. He swore his life to me and I had every right to kill him for leading me into a trap – whether, he knew of it or not. I and all that I stand for have been mocked and I was fully prepared to take his life once I was free but he entrusted you to me. Perhaps he did not intend you to be his replacement but that matters not to me. You are here and he is not. By all rights I should end your short, miserable, human life in his stead but…"

"But…?" she repeated, her voice hushed.

"But, you are…interesting. You are different from most of your kind and I gave my word to keep you safe until I left this town. I am inclined to be lenient, even after we leave, provided you learn your place."

"My place?" it was obvious that she dreaded what that statement meant.

"Yes, your place. You belong to me in your brother's stead and it will remain so until I either grow bored of you or your brother returns."

"And what will happen if you tire of me?"

"You die," he replied simply and she shivered.

"And, if my brother should return."

"He dies."

"You would be so cruel, Sesshoumaru-Sama?" she asked, just a spark of her original fire in her tone.

"_Youkai_ _**are**_ cruel. It is a lesson that you must learn if you want to live long. I am your lord and master, child, it is a position that carries a weight of its own. You _will_ obey me if you value your worthless life. Or would you prefer to stay and face my ire when I reap vengeance upon this city?"

"No," she bent her head and dropped her voice a few octaves," I would rather live."

"Look at me when you speak, girl."

Sesshoumaru could smell the girl's scent as it spiked in anger. "It's Rin," she muttered.

His eyes narrowed into slits, "Your name is unimportant."

Her eyes head snapped up and she glared at him, "Then I will not obey. We've gone over this before. I know that you can kill me but I've spent six years pretending to be someone else - just to please my father. You said that you would indulge me in this, but it would seem that, perhaps, you cannot keep your word as well as you thought. Why should I listen to someone who cannot remember who I am, only what I am?"

"My possessions do not need names."

"You didn't answer the question."

A low growl escaped his lips and he said quietly," Because you are weak, weak and inferior."

"And what determines that?"

"Our blood does."

"Blood is unimportant."

A second passed in which they stared at each other, the light from the fire illuminating eyes that were so very similar in their determination not to give in to the other.

"I should kill you," he muttered darkly at long last.

"I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't," she replied, her face serious. Her eyes, however, were very much alive with a plethora of emotions – foremost of which was a silent imploration that he give way in this one thing.

For whatever reason, Sesshoumaru remembered her brother speaking to him about her. About, how Rin was the best thing that had ever happened to him. How Rin was very loyal to the people she liked. How Rin could give him a smile that would make him feel as if all was well with the world. His curiosity was piqued.

What would it be like to be on the receiving end of one of those smiles?

What would it be like to have her loyalty?

What would it be like to have her trust?

The thoughts kept turning themselves around again and again in his head until he snorted and turned his back on her, dismissing the urge to punish her for her insubordination.

"What _foolishness_," he said.

He _supposed_ that since there really wasn't much to lose by using her name, he would stick to his original decision and indulge her. It most definitely _wasn't_ because the use of her name was obviously important to her. No, not at all.

_**'You lose to her this time,'**_ his youki snickered - it had always taken a perverse delight in seeing him flustered.

_'I will teach her who is master,' _he told the voice.

_**'Liar,'**_ came the reply.

He refused to glance back before moving into the embrace of the flames. There was work for him to do.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_'That was interesting,'_ Rin thought as she followed Jaken. They wove their way through the burning buildings and she did her very best to ignore the irritated glances he threw her way whenever she stumbled over a non-existent rock and nearly fell.

She hadn't meant to make Sesshoumaru angry with her but it was burning her up inside - just like these flames consumed the buildings around her - to have him acknowledge her. It hurt to think that such a strong, beautiful, and proud creature like him hated her for no other reason than because she was a human.

BuT…who _was_ this Rin, really? Where was this fountain of strength coming from? It made her feel like a caterpillar that had morphed, just within the past few hours into a butterfly. Or perhaps she had simply been waiting since Souta nii-san left to be herself.

Whatever the reason, she was glad that Sesshoumaru hadn't killed her for being stubborn – it said something very positive about his character. In fact, she anticipated seeing him again because he was unlike anything or anyone she'd ever encountered. _'What surprise does he have in store for me next,'_ she mused to herself.

A distant roar brought her out of her thought and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Stopping, she craned her neck to look in the direction of the sound and shuddered at what she saw. Something large and white was standing where the blaze met the darkness of the night sky.

Looking down, her wide eyes met those of the toad _youkai_ and the grin he gave her was equal parts smug and vicious.

"Does it frighten you, human?" he said in his squeaky voice. Just to be perverse - because it rankled for him to see her fear - she compressed her lips and shook her head.

"Well, it should. Look long and look hard human, because that being up there is none other than Sesshoumaru-Sama, your new lord"

"Wh…what?!" her eyes snapped back to the figure. She had the eerie feeling that the beast, no. Sesshoumaru was looking at her. And gathering up her courage, she held her head high and stared back, even though she wasn't sure of the exact location of his eyes.

A loud bark sounded before the massive figure took to the air and disappeared into the distance, leaving the two of them to stare after it. The tiny _youkai_ and the human girl exchanged a look before turning and heading towards the western town gate.

Maybe it was just Rin's imagination but she could have sworn that the _inu-youkai_ had just _laughed_ at her.

_'As if,'_ she thought. She'd be well in her grave before the stoic youkai cracked a smile, let alone laughed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Well here we go. I hope I did set a little more tone this time. As always, please read and review.


	6. TOB Interlude

**September 4, 2007**

First, I would like to offer my humble apologies for taking so long. You all have been very patient with me and I am very happy with all of you who have stuck with me and asked me consistently if I was going to finish this story. You deserve to know my reasons for putting this on such a long hiatus.

This was my first Sess/Rin fic and at the time I wasn't really putting my heart into my work. I was just going to make a typical fic that took place centuries ago and have the usual things happen like Rin being her happy bubbly self and Sesshoumaru being the cold stoic youkai who has his heart opened up by her, yada, yada, yada, and they live happily ever after. I hadn't had a clear idea for this fic that grabbed me and my desire to write that kind of standard story waned.

However, I had another idea that just grabbed me and wouldn't let go - thus "Thread Bound" was born. I tried to juggle both stories along with a third one for Samurai Deeper Kyo but it just wasn't working. I realized that I'm just not the sort of person who can write a fic without getting into the characters' heads and explaining how they came to be the way they are. Those of you who read my fics know that I heavy on character development. I had more enthusiasm for "Thread Bound" than for this because it was something that I _knew_ I hadn't seen before and I had an opportunity to make a truly unique story, so I ran with it. However, I realized that I can't write two stories with the same characters because the two would start to bleed together and their sense of uniqueness would be lost – I'm single-minded that way.

Once "Thread Bound" was finished, I began working on a re-write for this but it still wasn't what I wanted, so I put it down and thought on it some more. I've read a massive number of Sess/Rin fics and I wanted something that would be kind of new for my fellow fans of this pairing and something that I would enjoy writing. With that in mind, I sat down and brainstormed about why Sesshoumaru might be the way he is and how Rin might act if she were raised among humans instead of youkai. How would she act? What might she think? What if Sesshoumaru is the way he is because of this or that?

Inspiration struck and I've been writing like mad since last Thursday. Hopefully I'm not butchering the characters or anything, that's not my intent. I just want, more than anything, to write a story that we can both enjoy – me as the author and you as the reader. It might be fan fiction, but I take my writing seriously.

Now for something a little better. Here's a brief preview of a scene that's going to crop up sometime down the line (I might write it a little differently when it comes around, though):

**She leaned back against him and reveled in the warmth of his chest against his back. She could never get over how much heat he generated.**

**"You are presumptuous," he murmured, his breath tickling her cheek.**

**"I know," she replied, "but you knew that all along didn't you?"**

**"Perhaps…," he said, mild amusement in his voice.**

**"Sesshoumaru-Sama," she all but breathed his name, so quietly did she speak it.**

**"Hmm?"**

**"Can I see your hand?"**

**She felt him shift and knew that he had propped himself up to regard her for a moment.**

**"Why?"**

**"I just want to. Please."**

**He made a "hmph" sound before reaching around her to place his hand on the bed next to her own.**

**Tiny fingers began a slow exploration on his digits, tracing the tendons on the back and marveling at the contrast of the red stripes on his wrist and the pale skin beneath. Blunt, human fingers lightly caressed their way up the gently ghost over the tips of his claws before making their way down again. Working her way beneath his hand, she nestled her small fingers within the valleys between his own and folded them down so that she was clasping his hand. She paused, wondering what he would do and felt a flush come to her face as he slowly folded his fingers down so that his hand was clasping hers.**

**Without really knowing why, she brought their joined hands to her face, making sure to rub the back of his briefly across her cheek before she tilted her head and placed a soft kiss on his hand.**


	7. Vengeance

**STOP!**

**IF YOU ARE READING THIS CHAPTER AFTER HAVING STARTED THIS STORY BEFORE SEPTEMBER 4****TH**** 2007 I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS AGAIN. I HAVE DOUBLED ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE AND DONE A TON OF FLESHING OUT AND REVISIONS.**

**THE CHAPTER BEFORE THIS ONE IS STILL KIND OF A NOTE BUT I'VE REPLACED THE SUMMARY WITH A PREVIEW AND AN EXPLAINATION OF WHY I TOOK SO LONG TO GET BACK TO THIS STORY.**

**IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME READING THROUGH THIS FIC, CARRY ON.**

Here we go! It's the first real "new" chapter. Hope ya'll enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it and thanks for waiting so long.

Thanks also to all of the people who kept asking me to update. I promise you all that I wasn't dropping this story and I'm not.

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 5**

**Vengeance**

_**'Freedom,'**_ Sesshoumaru _youki_ chanted as it flowed through his veins, bringing with it the familiar intoxication of power that made his fangs lengthen and his claws grow even sharper. His gold eyes began to bleed into red.

_**'Freedom,'**_ it chanted as he felt his bones shift and realign themselves to form new joints. Other bones fused together to change the shape of his spine and allow his tail to grow in order to give him balance.

_**'Freedom,'**_ it screamed as his body grew and his senses sharpened to the point where he could see each and every ember that arose from the inferno surrounding him in fine detail. He could hear the multitude of heartbeats of every human and beast in the town. He could smell a foul mixture of sweat, blood, dung, sex and any other number of scents permeating the town. The things that humans did from day to day - all of it, he took in by means of his razor sharp senses and he was elated, so very elated, that soon he would wipe these particular beasts out.

_**'FREEDOM,'**_ his youki roared out and this time it actually _was_ punctuated by a roar that sent a nearby burning building tumbling down into a heap of smoldering timbers. It rattled the foundations of the buildings that hadn't caught fire yet and he felt a sinful thrill of pleasure at the thought of what he would do.

He had such glorious freedom in this form and he often found himself giving into the whims of his _youki_, his instincts guiding his most of his actions. There were things he would do, emotions he would express in this form that he would _never_ allow in his humanoid shape. No, here in his _inu_-form, he could be truly free. He could let himself go and rampage to his heart's content. Oh, yes, he would take this opportunity to enjoy himself, but first…

Lifting up his massive head, he scented the air, searching for one scent in particular. Upon finding it, he turned his red eyes towards it and was rewarded with the sight of _her_ - the girl who fascinated him. His human form was made for logic but this, this form acted on almost pure instinct though, of course, it was tempered by his keen intelligence – a formidable combination. He watched Rin, curious as to how she viewed this form of his. Was she frightened at last? Would she run screaming?

A purely canine though insinuated itself into his brain. If she ran now he would hunt her down. He would run her to ground like the predator he was and he would tear her to pieces. Logic told him that it would be a fine way to rid himself of her before they reached the point of no return. Instinct told him that the joy of the hunt would be worth it, that she was a new toy to do with as he could. But he controlled both sides of his nature and waited. What would she do? Oh, what would she do?

He felt an odd rush of exhilaration when she stood her ground and stared right back at him. He knew she couldn't see his face from this distance but her body language told him loud and clear that she would not back down to him, even in this form. It got him excited – the thought of the challenges she would provide – and he expressed his delight with a loud bark. He couldn't wait to return and go at it again with her.

Somewhere in his mind, he knew that it was his _youki_ putting these ideas into his head but he could admit, if only to himself, that idea of challenging her appealed. No one had ever made him do or say the things he did around her and he had known her for only a few hours. What else could she possibly have in store?

Sesshoumaru would give the matter his full attention when he returned but, for now, he had a town to destroy. He knew the _miko_ was here somewhere but he was not yet as full strength, so his revenge would have to wait. However, how would the _Daimyo_ react if he woke up to a town that was nothing more than smoldering ruins? If he could have, he would have smiled darkly at the delicious thought of returning his own humiliation in kind to the human lord.

Rising up, he let out one last roar and moved in for the attack.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Hurry it up, human," the toad _youkai_ ordered with obvious irritation.

"Where exactly are we going, Toad?" Rin asked, deliberately slowing down to annoy him and because her legs were starting to get tired. She hadn't been quite as active as she used to be once Souta left, having dedicated her time to acting more feminine. This meant that her stamina wasn't what it used to be and she was starting to have trouble keeping up. It certainly didn't help that the only light she had to see by was the orange glow of the burning town and even that small amount was diminishing with distance.

"You will address me as Jaken-Sama, human," he said without stopping, though his voice was clearly laced with irritation.

"But you said you were proud to be a toad, as I recall."

He gave a little 'hrumph' and said, "That doesn't mean that my name is toad."

"Well, it's funny that you should mention that because my name isn't '_human_' either - it's Rin" she replied, knowing that he had walked right into that one.

Apparently Jaken realized his blunder as well and he stopped, spinning around to glare at her with his bulging yellow eyes. "Well, I never…," he said, the very picture of arrogance, "I have little patience for your impertinence, _human_. If all goes well, you won't even be around long enough for it to matter."

"Maybe I won't…" she drawled slowly before giving him a sly smile, "and maybe I will. There must be something about me that appeals to your lord - otherwise I would be dead by now, right?"

Jaken muttered something under his breath about uppity humans not knowing their place and refused to answer.

Letting out a sigh she moved forward and met his eyes with her own. "Look Jaken," she refused to slap a "Sama" onto the end of his name, "I'll tell you the same thing I told your lord. You won't lose anything by using my name and it's the only thing I really have that's my own. Can you look at it from my perspective, please?"

"I refuse to envision myself as an ugly human like you."

Rin had to bite her cheek to refrain from saying something smart in response to his comment. So she was an "ugly human" huh? And what was he? The sun goddess, Amaterasu, made flesh?

_'Down, Rin, you don't need to respond to everything he says.'_

Deciding to try a different approach – since the reasonable one was obviously wasted on the toad - she gave him a sweet smile and said, in as kind a voice as she could manage, "I pity Sesshoumaru-Sama."

He was took a few step back, wary of this sudden change in attitude, and narrowed his huge eyes suspiciously, "Why?"

"You claim to follow your master but you obviously think that you're better than he. He, at least, can say my name. But you…are you really as loyal as you claim to be? A loyal servant will go wherever his master goes and seek to imitate him as long as it is possible to do so. I am a mere human girl, what harm could I possibly do? Unless…" she paused to let her words sink in.

The toad had a sickly look on his face and she watched him swallow hard before he prompted her to continue with a raspy, "…unless?"

"Unless I feel inclined to tell Sesshoumaru-Sama what a faithless servant he has. I could tell him how you feel that you are so much better than him. That you do not _deem_ him worthy of following his direction in the simplest of things."

"That's a lie," he said, attempting to infuse his voice with courage. Rin almost felt sorry for him because even _she_ knew that she was being a bit spiteful but, this had been a hard night. And she could tell that this situation with Jaken would need to be nipped in the bud if she wanted to have a peaceful life of any sort when they arrived at their destination. He wasn't the type to be "killed with kindness", so she had to go for his weakness. And that weakness seemed to be the fear of losing the _taiyoukai's_ favor.

"Why," Jaken continued, pulling her away from her thoughts, "would Sesshoumaru-Sama listen to you over me? I've served him for years."

"I'm still alive when he himself said that he should have killed me. Who knows what else might he allow me to have my way in?" In all honesty, she didn't have the foggiest idea of how much sway she could possibly have over the _taiyoukai,_ but that was neither here nor there. She suppressed a smile as she watched the little toad turn her words over in his head before he seemed to come to a decision.

"You wouldn't tell him anything like that, would you…Rin?" he queried - his staff rested in the crook of his elbow and he was wringing his tiny claws together in worry.

"I won't if you'll stop treating me like some sort of animal. You can't go classing all humans in the same category. I am _not_ my brother - who never was much of a fighter. When you bite, I'll bite back twice as hard. Keep that in mind and we'll get along just fine. But honestly, all I really want is some peace in my life."

Jaken stared at her for a long moment before giving another little 'hmph" and turning away. "I suppose it wouldn't be _too_ much trouble to call you by your name. It is much shorter after all. But don't you go thinking that this changes anything between us. I don't want any tales reaching Sesshoumaru-Sama's ears about me."

Rin suppressed a giggle as she responded, "Of course, not."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rin had a feeling that they were being watched. It had been an hour since they stopped and when she asked Jaken what they were doing, he told her that they were waiting for Sesshoumaru. Well, waiting was all fine and good but she didn't relish the thought of a potential attack before her new lord returned. Jaken didn't seem like he would make a particularly good guardian and sword training hadn't been on her to-do list of ladylike pursuits.

No matter how hard she peered into the surrounding brush, she just couldn't make out anything but trees, trees, and more trees. To make matters worse, it was starting to get cold and her kimono wasn't made to withstand the oncoming chill of autumn. She shivered a bit and brought her hands up to rub some warmth back into her arms. If whatever was in the woods didn't get to her, the decreasing temperature would.

"Umm, Jaken," she began and he gave her a 'hmm?' to let her know that he was listening.

"I don't know if you've noticed it, but I think we're being watched."

He made a sound that somehow managed to give her the equivalent feeling that having him roll his ridiculously huge eyes at her would have.

"We are being watched. I came here with my fellow _youkai_ and they are keeping watch to insure that we aren't attacked and that you don't escape," he made it sound as if it should be common knowledge and she was getting that "humans are so ignorant" vibe from him again. She refrained from stomping on his head.

Jaken, she decided, would have a seizure if anything non-disparaging came out of his tiny, wrinkledup mouth. She had the good sense to remember that, though he was tiny and annoying, he was still a _youkai_ and she could only push so far. Rin got the feeling that this particular youkai had been instrumental in starting and spreading the fire that was currently eating away the western side of the town. There was doubtless more to him than met the eye.

Letting out a sigh of long-suffering, she sat down next to the toad and resigned herself to waiting. Before long, she had fallen asleep.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Where is he?"

Souta's head snapped up at the sound of her voice and he stared wide-eyed at her. It shamed him to admit but the first thing he noticed was that she was still as beautiful as ever. Kikyou had always been the epitome of grace and refinement, a vision of beauty and poise. How proud he had been as a boy to know that he had the most beautiful sister in town. She had been kind too, watching over Kagome and he and, later, Rin with a concern that was ever present. It had been obvious to all that she loved her younger siblings and only wanted what was best for them.

All of that had changed about eight years ago. She and Kagome had gone, in the tradition of their family, to train as _miko._ Father had approved until he learned that, instead of going to tiny villages to ward off any minor _youkai _who came too near, their powers were going to be used in battle. Their opponents weren't merely the vermin-like _youkai _who kidnapped a human or two either – no - they were going to be up against the largest and most powerful of _youkai_ – the kind who rarely made contact with humans.

The head of the Higurashi household had demanded the return of his daughters and they had been allowed to come home for a brief visit. However, it had already been too late. Kikyou had been different and Kagome – who had always been vivacious and active – had looked as if most of the life had been taken out of her. When he asked her what had happened to their older sister, she muttered something about an experiment to make Kikyou stronger and avoided the subject like the plague.

Eventually he stopped asking but the longer Kikyou stayed under their roof the more he felt as if she were someone else entirely. She would fluctuate between kindness and cruelty, joy and bitterness, excitement and apathy. It frightened him but still he acted as if all was well. It wasn't until she gave him a clear sign that something was very wrong with her that he started to keep his distance. It had been a strange reaction to something simple.

**Flashback**

_Rin was playing around, as usual, and trying to – unsuccessfully - entice Kikyou into playing with her. The next thing he knew Kikyou was towering over the child and had slapped her so hard that she stubbed to the floor. Never would he forget the sight of those innocent brown eyes of Rin's filling with tears as she scrambled to her feet and ran outside. He glared at his older sister and snagged Kagome's hand on the way out, pulling her along as he searched for Rin._

_They found her huddled under the cherry tree on the side of the house, sniffling quietly as she nursed her knee._

_Bending down, he gently moved her small hands away from her leg and winced at the sight of blood – she had skinned her knee very badly._

_"I'm sorry, Rin-chan," he said, using a corner of his kimono to dab at the wound, "I should have stopped her."_

_"It…it's okay, Souta nii-chan," replied Rin in between sniffles, "it's going to heal soon anyways."_

_"Not that soon," he said, not realizing the import of her words, "it'll probably take a few days to stop hurting."_

_"Uh, uh," she shook her head, "look." She moved his hands away and both he and Kagome gasped as the wound began to shrink until it was nothing more than a small patch of pink skin._

_"See," Rin said with a bright smile._

_"Kagome, did you see that," Souta asked in amazement, not taking his eyes off of his adopted sister. When she didn't answer right away, he turned and said her name again, his tone questioning. He was shocked to see that the blood had drained out of her face._

_"Kagome? Kagome! Snap out of it! This is wonderful news. Rin might be a miko just like you and Kikyou. Kagome!"_

_She seemed to come back to herself and she offered him a weak smile._

_"Yes, that's…wonderful…just wonderful," she said with absolutely no enthusiasm._

_"What is going on here? Maybe I should just get Kikyou to confirm my idea and apologize to Rin," he began to rise and found himself anchored to the spot by the surprisingly strong hand of his sister._

_"Don't Souta-kun. __**Please**__ don't tell Kikyou that Rin has powers of any sort."_

_He frowned and asked in uter bewilderment, "but…why not?"_

_"Just trust me on this. If you love Rin and want to keep her safe, you'll help me keep this from Kikyou."_

_Souta stared into her panicked brown eyes for a long moment before nodding slowly._

_Just what in the world was going on?_

**End flashback**

"Where is he? Don't make me ask you again, Souta," Kikyou's voice was hard and he shivered.

The soldiers had released him from the cage at Kagome's bidding and he had been tied up instead to await Kikyou's arrival. Well, here she was and it was obvious that while he had been musing internally about the past, she had started to grow impatient.

_'Stalling her is going to be hard,'_ he thought before making his reply.

"Where's who?" he asked, watching as the corners of her mouth tightened.

"You know who. Don't play stupid. I want to know the whereabouts of the _youkai_."

"I don't know," he answered truthfully, "shouldn't you be able to sense a _youkai_ that strong with your abilities?"

"I can normally but his _youki_ hasn't recovered that much just yet since he escaped his cage. Besides, there are other _youkai _about in this town and their energies are mixing together. Perhaps a better question would be: who freed him?"

"I can't tell you that," he said, carefully maintaining a neutral face.

"It had to have been a _miko_ of some sort to break through my seal. Tell me, what sort of _miko_ would free such a dangerous _youkai_," there was a definite edge to her voice now and he could _see_ her changing into someone else right before his eyes. Her eyes grew colder by the minute and he could feel the barely restrained violence that roiled about inside of her.

It took everything he had to lie with a straight face and say, "I don't know."

"Don't lie to me," she hissed, taking a step forward when a fat hand grasped her arm and pulled her back. She whirled around to glare at the interloper, her expression softening a bit as she looked into the worried face of the _Daimyo_ – Lord Kazuhiko Yamada.

"I heard that the beast has escaped," Kazuhiko-Sama whined, "You promised me that he was under control." As if to underscore his words a loud roar sounded in the distance and the air grew thick with pure, raw power. Souta grimaced - Sesshoumaru was going on the rampage.

"He was, but someone let him out. Rest assured that I will find that _someone_," Kikyou looked right at her brother, "as well as the monster and put them both out of their misery."

"Is there anything you can do about it now?" He was wringing his fat fingers together.

"As a matter of fact…" her words were cut off by an urgent pounding on the gate timbers. They had opened the massive door to let Kikyou in but closed them immediately after in case the _youkai_ decided to come back and exact revenge. No one dared to mention that mere wood was highly unlikely to stop and angry monster.

The lord and the _miko_ both looked at the door as the pounding increased in number, joined by the voices of the townspeople as they begged for entrance to escape the raging demon demolishing their town. A few soldiers moved towards the doors only to be halted by the harsh voice of the _Daimyo_.

"Who told you to open the gates?"

"But, my lord, there are people out there," one soldier spoke up.

"I can hear them just fine," he snapped, wiping a hand across his forhead.

"Should we not give them shelter?" asked another soldier.

"I'm afraid they'll have to fend for themselves. I won't take a chance on that demon making it in here."

"But…"

Kazuhiko-Sama cut the soldier off, "The next man who asks me to open the gate loses his head."

Silence fell over the courtyard as the soldiers looked at each other helplessly, obviously torn between obeying and disobeying his cruel command. With resigned faces they turned their backs from the door and the people outside but they couldn't block out the screams and the cries and the gurgles when Sesshoumaru finally reached the people begging outside the gate. Nor could they block out the smell of burned flesh as Sesshoumaru's poisonous spittle ate away at their bodies, ending one life after another until the cries dwindled away to nothing.

Souta felt sick to his stomach and for one second, he completely agreed with Sesshoumaru's opinion on humans. Humans were weak and disloyal, cruel where there was no need and he hated himself for being human.

He hated himself and wept for all of those poor lost souls outside the gate. And he wept at his inability to do anything.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

His paws were soaked in blood. Sesshoumaru stared down at them and concentrated, watching as they gradually shrank until they were pale, claw-tipped fingers once more. There were still traces of blood on them and he raised them to his lips, slowly drawing his tongue through the viscous fluid and turning the taste over in his mouth. Grimacing slightly, he decided that he would allow his youki to absorb the nutrients into his body through his skin and turned to survey his handiwork.

The town was no more.

Dawn rose slowly over the place where it had once stood. Smoldering heaps lay throughout where once there had stood buildings. Some of the smoke came from the houses that had caught fire and collapsed while other smoked because his acidic poison had yet to finish eating its way through the timber – and the bodies that lay above and beneath the timber. The only place he'd left intact was the _Daimyo's_ residence and he would have dearly loved to see the look on the man's face when he caught sight of the present he'd left him.

The _taiyoukai_ was tempted to search out any stragglers and put them out of their misery but his need for vengeance was sated – for the moment. He still had two _miko_ in particular to take care of but he had neither the strength nor the time for that right now. Of primary importance was his return home - he had to make sure that none of his retainers had gotten the foolish idea into their heads that he wasn't going to come back. There were likely going to be more bodies lying about before he was through.

Slowly, a cloud formed at his feet and he slowly levitated upwards, pausing to make sure that his _youki_ would be able to take him where he needed to go. Once he was satisfied, he set off in the same direction he'd ordered his servant to go with the girl – scenting the air to make sure that he didn't over shoot them. In very little time, he located the clearing where they were located and descended, allowing the cloud to dissipate until his feet were on solid ground once more.

"Ah, Sesshoumaru-Sama, welcome back. Did all go well?" Jaken came rushing over to him, bowing low.

The young lord nodded absently, his eyes searching out and finding the form of the human girl. She was fast asleep and he found himself mildly amused that she had managed to go to sleep when her night had been so exciting.

"The girl…she was tolerable?" he queried, looking at the toad and noting the tiny start the other _youkai _gave.

"I…yes, she was alright," he muttered and Sesshoumaru quirked a brow at that. Jaken always had something negative to say about everyone, excluding himself. The fact that the toad wasn't whining told him that she had probably managed to find a way under his wrinkled skin. His human was resourceful.

He paused, liking the sound of that - _his _human. She was like and unlike her brother and he wanted to know each and every way that they both differed and resembled each other. Perhaps his foray into town had done him some good, he felt more relaxed than he had in a good while.

"Jaken, he intoned softly so as not to wake the girl, "summon Ah-Un."

"Ah, yes, Sesshoumaru-Sama. Right away." The toad said, moving off a few feet and raising his staff to call the two-headed dragon.

Sesshoumaru kneeled and stared at the girl for a brief moment. He was tempted to catch one of the silky locks of her hair between his finger but he resisted, there were still lesser _youkai_ about after all. He settled instead on picking her up as gently as he could - telling himself that there was no harm in this small thing at least.

A low growl signaled the arrival of his steed and made his way over to the two-headed dragon which nodded its heads at him. He seated himself on the saddle provided gracefully, arranging the girl comfortably on his lap with one hand while lifting the reins with the other.

He waited patiently as Jaken clambered onto the back of the beast also - being careful not to touch his lord - and the _taiyoukai_ snapped the reins. Slowly, the dragon lifted from the ground until it was well above the trees before moving forward at a brisk pace.

The Lord of the Westernlands looked down at his sleeping servant and wondered what changes she would bring.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

There you go, the first new chapter in over three years, hope you all enjoyed it. More coming soon. Please review and let me know if I'm screwing these characters up for you or not.


	8. Assessment

Much thanks to:

**whitehitsugaya, anhimals **(I hope I can update it more as well, thanks for sticking with me :hugs:)**, BIRDLADY, New Fan, Gryphaena, ****FoxyFire92****MoonPhoenix**I have a fan?! You're making me blush :hugs:)**Jayde Raine****embargo****fluffycrush****AnimeFreak-TrunksPan-Lover****imagine-me**(hope I didn't throw you off with her age, it would have been perfectly legal in this time period)**Teela.akimako**(I'm happy if you're happy. I wasn't sure if anyone would like the way I have portrayed Sess. :hugs:)**HawkAngel XD****TatteredCrimson**(I could never, ever, ever in a million years forget about you. :Double Hugs:)

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 6**

**A****ssessment**

If anyone had ever told Rin that one day she would wake up and find herself tucked into the crook of a _youkai's_ arm, she would have laughed it off. If they had proceeded to tell her that, in addition to being tucked into said _youkai's_ arm, she would be flying through the air - hundreds of feet above good old solid earth _and_ on the back of a two-headed dragon, no less – she would have thought the other person was brain-damaged. So imagine her surprise when she woke up to the feel of cool air rushing past her face and made the mistake of looking down.

The trees were tiny green blobs meandering across cultivated fields of alternating brown and green and there was a bird – a _bird_ – flying below the dragon and minding its own business. She did what any sane person would do in her position. She gave a start and screamed in fright, twisting her body around so that she could move her arms. This allowed her to latch onto the _youkai_ who had been keeping her close with a strong arm around her waist. He grunted slightly as her thin limbs slid around his neck and she buried her face into a spot on his chest just above his armor.

Rin could hear squawking coming from behind the _youkai's_ body and surmised that it was the toad. She couldn't catch everything that he said but she _did_ hear something like, "disrespectful, shameless girl" and "taking advantage of my lord like that". Even though she was scared, that didn't keep her from rolling her eyes - as if she could _ever_ take advantage of the all powerful Sesshoumaru. And speaking of Sesshoumaru…

She realized that another sound had been added to the noisy toad's muttered litany of insults against her and her race. There was a faint vibration that originated somewhere around Sesshoumaru's neck area and transferred itself to and down her arms. Looking up at her "master's" face, she realized that his eyes had narrowed into slits and she could just make out the tip of one very sharp fang poking out on the right side of his well formed lips. It was obvious that he was annoyed and she was dismayed to realize that the sound she had heard was him growling. _Growling_! And it wasn't a growl like a human, who was annoyed at something, made - a short, rolling grunt low in his or her throat. No, this was a prolonged growl that no human throat could match, like a wild dog that was about to go on the offensive. His golden eyes were fixed firmly on her face and they conveyed a clear message: _"get your hands off of me or else."_

_'Why is it okay for him to put his hands on me but I can't touch him,'_ she thought to herself. She was halfway tempted to ignore the warning and keep holding onto him but she was neither stupid nor suicidal. Brave she might very well be, but she knew her limits and she didn't know this _youkai_ well enough to take it that far just yet. Whether he was being hypocritical or not, she wasn't _about_ to act defiant when they were _flying_ – she couldn't even wrap her head around _that_ – through the air.

Rin slowly removed her arms from around his neck, flushing when she realized just how intimate the gesture had been, and relocated them to his waist, glancing at him to see if this was alright. The growling ceased and she assumed he didn't mind this position so much because it wasn't as uncomfortably close as her previous one. The only problem was that now - because she had twisted to face him and both of her legs had already been hanging over the left flank of the two-headed dragon – she was in an awkward position. Her arms were around his waist and he couldn't get as much of his arm around her own. In fact, her bottom was more or less resting on top of his arm – which was highly embarrassing – and her legs were dangling into space. She tried to curl them reflexively upwards but, since there wasn't really anything for her to rest them on, she knew she'd get tired very soon.

All in all, she felt foolish for panicking and contorting so much that now she was even more afraid of falling off of the beast than she had been before. Sesshoumaru apparently shared her sentiment because he let out a tiny sigh of annoyance and asked, "Can you not keep still?"

She looked up at him and glared before saying, "I wouldn't have moved if I knew that I was going to wake up in the middle of the air on the back of a _youkai_."

He blinked and tilted his head slightly to the right – an oddly _young_ gesture for him to make – and said in that infuriatingly monotone voice of his, "I thought you were tired. Humans require sleep to maintain their health and I do not want to deal with a sick one, so I allowed you to rest. Should I not have?"

There was a cool sort of logic to what he said, so why did she feel as if she'd been insulted? Maybe it was because of the reasoning behind his "kind" gesture. It was all fine and good to own a pet and not inform "Pochi the dog" or "Yuki the cat" every time you take it out somewhere or give it a reason why you feed it. She, however, was a human with the complex emotions that came with the package. This whole "go-flying-through-the-sky-cause-I-know-what-humans-require-to-live" thing wasn't going to cut it. His answer could have come off of a scroll entitled "How to Care for Your Pet Human" for all she knew. Her new master either hadn't learned a thing from having Souta around or, more likely, Souta had taken it all with a grain of salt - like he did most everything else.

Well, she wasn't Souta and he was going to have to realize that really soon. The more time she spent around this Sesshoumaru character, the more she was coming to see that not only was he emotionally stunted, but he didn't seem to know the first thing about dealing with other people, let alone humans. She would bet anything that it never even crossed his mind that she might wake up in mid-flight and be scared out of her mind that she was flying through the air.

It was inconsiderate for him to move her without her knowledge and she had to ask herself what other shortfalls he might have. She didn't know much about _youkai_ but the way Jaken acted told her that they _did_ have emotions – Sesshoumaru was the exception. Her lord had probably rubbed more than a few of his fellow youkai the wrong way and she wondered, not for the first time, just what she should expect once they reached his home. One thing was for sure, she probably wouldn't receive a warm welcome of any sort.

Rin sighed, her thoughts dampening her already depressed spirits. It was bad enough that she had to choose between her life and that of her brother but she didn't even know if Souta _nii-chan_ was alright or if the rest of her adopted family was safe. It certainly didn't seem like she'd be going back to what was left of the town to check on them. _'Maybe I could ask Sesshoumaru?'_ she thought absently before letting out a snort of derision. As if someone like him, who thought only of himself, would have bothered to check up on them and tell her that they were alright. Heck, he probably went after them first in retaliation for what Souta had put him through.

Naturally, these thoughts did nothing to brighten her low mood and she leaned forward to rest her head on Sesshoumaru's breastplate, mindful of the spikes adorning it. He had long since turned his attention to the empty sky ahead but she was aware of him flicking a glance down at her when she pressed her forehead against the plate covering his chest. She shifted her arms just a tiny bit higher, still wary of her precarious perch and she had to bite back a scream when he repositioned his arm so that he could grab her left leg with his clawed hand.

She shivered at the feel of his claws pressing into her sensitive skin and it took all she had not to slap him, for touching her so intimately. However, she controlled the urge as he guided her leg over the dragon's neck and dropped it so that she was now straddling the beast's back. Her kimono just barely covered her thighs and he completed her humiliation by wrapping his arm about her once more and pulling her close again. Her face had to have turned five shades of red once his actions were completed and even though her perch was now secure, she was pressed too intimately against his chest to enjoy it.

The young woman was torn between anger and embarrassment but she held herself in check. After all, this might be another one of those things that he didn't realize was a total no-no for humans – young women in particular. Deliberately keeping her voice calm, she shifted her head up to look at him once more and asked quietly, "What was that for?"

He glanced down at her with an unreadable look in those golden eyes of his before looking straight ahead again. For a second, she thought that he was simply going to maintain his silence but she was somewhat pleasantly surprised when he opened his mouth and said quietly, "you are afraid."

_'Now how in the world could he possibly have sensed that?'_ she asked herself before replying softly, "I was worrying about my family and wondering if you killed them as well. How did you know?"

He still refrained from looking at her but she felt him press her just the tiniest bit closer before saying in that same emotionless voice, "Your scent."

"My what…?"

"I am not in the habit of repeating myself."

"Yes, but…I mean…how could you…?" she paused in her sputtering, remembering what he had done back in the town after he had transformed. When she thought that he was laughing at her for standing up to him instead of cowering at the sight of his transformation, she had distinctly heard a _bark_ It was the same kind of bark that she might hear from a dog, albeit a very large dog. Realization dawned on her. If Jaken was a toad _youkai_ why couldn't Sesshoumaru be a dog _youkai_?

It certainly fit with what she'd heard about most _youkai_ - that they resembled animals a lot of the time. But if that was the case, how was it that Sesshoumaru was able to maintain a human-like form whereas Jaken was ugly, squat, and green with bulging yellow eyes?

She couldn't resist blurting out rather loudly, "You're a dog? Is that how you can pick up on my scent?"

There was that faint tightening around his mouth again as he replied, "I am an _inu-youkai_ - so, yes, my sense of smell is much more powerful than any human and most other _youkai_."

"But how come you look human and why in the world would you move me around just because you can smell my fear."

"I am a _Taiyoukai_" he said, as if that explained everything.

"And that means…what? You still didn't answer either of my questions."

He looked down at her then and she clearly read annoyance in his gaze as he returned her words with a question of his own.

"Are you always this impertinent?" he asked coolly.

"Honestly? No, I'm not," she replied truthfully, curious as to what he might make of her answer.

"Are you unable to give me the respect that is due, then?"

"For what reason should I respect you? I can fear you because you hold both my life and that of my brother's in your hands. I can fear you because I know that you can kill me with little effort on your part. And I can fear you because I can feel just how powerful you are every time I am near you. However, fear and respect are separate things. I appreciate that you use my name and my brother obviously respected you. That, at least, is enough for me to give you a chance, but I still don't know you, Sesshoumaru-Sama," she paused to watch his face.

The look in his eyes was unreadable but if she had to put a name to it, she would call it confusion. He didn't give her much time to analyze it before he said coldly, "You will never know me, human," and turned his eyes back to the front.

Rin could tell that she hadn't said what he wanted to hear, but she wasn't Souta nii-chan. She wasn't the type to lie to either herself or anyone else. Sesshoumaru wanted her to say what he had doubtlessly heard from a multitude of other _youkai_ – he wanted her to submit - but she refused to stroke his ego. From her standpoint, it was obvious that he was used to getting his way and she could even understand why that was so. He was undoubtedly the most beautiful creature she'd ever seen in her entire life and he was powerful - so much so that the hairs on the back of neck stood up whenever she got near him.

However, she could also see that he was a difficult person to deal with. She might have been young but she had both grown up around humans and been of marriageable age for some time. Humans could be very conniving and dishonest and she had been forced - both by her unique upbringing and an ingrained sense of survival – to look beneath the obvious. At sixteen, she was quite a bit more mature than most other girls her age and she knew for a fact that she was a fairly good judge of character. And what she saw in Sesshoumaru was disturbing.

Sesshoumaru didn't look _that_ much older than her but she knew for a fact that _youkai_ lived much longer than humans did. It would be best to assume, therefore, that he was at least a century or two older than she, which then begged the question: "Just what sort of life had he been living up until now?" It was like he was equal parts immature man and cruel _youkai_. He seemed to expect instant obedience and yet, didn't understand that true obedience and respect had to be earned. It was neither automatic nor could it be forced.

He was strong and definitely very intelligent but, again, neither of them shone through to her so much as his unrealistic expectations of her absolute obedience. No one, whether human or _youkai_, liked to have their freedom taken away and they most certainly didn't enjoy threats on their lives. Her new "master" had a commanding enough presence and she could see that he was an honorable person when he so chose but he was lacking something. If he had a heart, it seemed to be tightly locked up in ice and she wanted to know what could possibly have happened to make him the way he was.

As disturbing as it was to admit, he reminded her of how she'd been as a child before the Higurashi family took her in. There was a wildness about him that came, not from an inner desire to be mean or even to be left alone , but simply because he didn't know how else to be. She had been a desperate child who trusted no one because trusting people meant that they could get close and hurt you. The six-year old Rin had even refused to talk to anyone because she didn't know what to say, she hadn't understood that there were people who could be trusted. She also didn't understand that not everyone was like the bandits who had slaughtered her family.

Looking at Sesshoumaru now, she felt such a pang of sympathy that she had to swallow hard lest she say something that she might regret. As he was now, she didn't think he would appreciate her analysis of his character and it was a certainty that he was in no mood to answer any more of her questions. However, when the time was right, she wanted to know why the scent of her fear had made him react to her the way he had. Did he shift her into a more secure position because he found her smell offensive? Or did he do it because he actually might have felt bad for her?

She wanted to know why he said the things he said and acted the way he did. Why did he demonstrate a desire to keep her in good health and yet overrode it constantly by being inconsiderate of her feelings? Why was he so strong and, yet, he lacked even a basic knowledge of how to treat others? Why had Souta been willing to give up his life among humankind for this person?

_'There's more to you than meets the eyes Sesshoumaru,'_ she thought, _'and I intend to find out what you have hidden beneath that cold exterior.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_'How dare she__!'_ Sesshoumaru thought. In all his life, _no one_ had ever asked him the questions she did, nor had they ever stated the things she did. And she had meant them too. Perhaps that was what bothered him.

He was used to instant obedience. When he said jump, his servants asked how high. When he said that he held their lives in his hand, they fell all over themselves to please him. That was the way it had been ever since his father had been killed and he had been thrust into the role of "Lord of the entire Westernlands." Jaken had told him that obedience would come automatically because of his position and his many vassals and fellow lords had seemed content to follow his lead – lending credence to Jaken's words. Things more or less always went his way and when they didn't, he could usually force his way through any situation. He was used to others displaying either abject fear at his presence or automatic acquiescence to his orders.

His life was ordered into neat little boxes and he liked it just fine like that. Everyone around him had a role in his life and it was usually a role that he had given them, whether they liked it or not. Humans were an annoyance that he would wipe out if he had to. Other _youkai_ served him, aided him in his conquest, or were occasionally used as food. His fellow lords of the North, South, and East were useful for forming alliances but they usually stayed out of each other's way and didn't interfere unless his quarrels threatened to spill into their respective territories.

That only left his brother, who had disappeared out of his life quite some time ago, and he was more than happy to leave it at that. They hated each other for reasons that only he and those who were old enough to remember them knew of and he preferred it that way. He didn't need anyone else and he refused to repeat his father's mistakes.

Sesshoumaru had effectively maneuvered the people around him so that there was little chance of him getting close to any of them. Even Souta had his place. The human had spoken of friendship and the young lord had listened to _some_ of what he had said but, as with everyone else, the human had been a means to an end. He desired a diversion and someone who could help him understand human nature a bit better and the man had served him well. And now, in the absence of the brother, he was trying to see if his sister could perhaps fill the niche he had left behind.

Here was where his problems began.

He had already threatened her life as well as that of her brother - which usually worked - and it kept meeting with failure. She had told him that she was quite aware of just how powerful he was but she still seemed disinclined to do as he said. The girl was bold, telling _him_ of - all people - that she had no reason to respect him and actually lecturing him more than once. The first time was about using her name and the second time was just now when she said, in so many words, that she didn't respect him. Oh, she feared him, as any sane person would, but she fought against obeying his commands. She was both like and unlike her brother and he didn't know what to do.

What was a _taiyoukai_ - who was used to everyone around him being submissive - to do with a weak human girl who refused to follow the norm? He _needed_ to be aware and in control of his surroundings because relaxing his hold meant the breakdown of his kingdom. His father had allowed his emotions to get the best of him and look where that had landed him – in his grave. So he shut himself away and had halfway convinced himself that he had no heart because having no heart meant that he had no emotions, no doubts, and no uncertainties. Nothing could get in his way and nothing could make it past his defenses.

He would **not** be his father.

However, this girl was provoking him towards something. He could not put a name to that something but it had everything to do with her, he was certain of it. Why was she refusing the role he had transferred from her brother to her? Why wouldn't she obey him, like her brother had? Why wasn't he able to predict what she would do next? Why, when he tried to stick her in a neat little box like everyone else, did she keep on climbing out and wagging her tongue at him in a figurative sense?

Rin was an experience to be sure. She was so different from what he knew and yet, there a part of himself that sat up and took notice every time she refused to kowtow to his wishes. It was like she had taken one of those delicate hands of hers, dug it into the very center of his being, and was slowly dragging out a part of himself that he hadn't known existed. Even Souta hadn't piqued his interest this much and he had only known the girl for a few hours. His curious nature was bubbling over with questions.

Why couldn't he take his eyes off of her?

Why - when she wrapped her arms around him after waking up in a panic - did he have to fight to keep himself from bending down and burying his nose in her hair again to smell that incredible scent of hers?

Why had he allowed her to keep her hands on him after making her let go of his neck?

Why did the sharp spike of fear afterwards make him wonder if she was afraid of heights, summarily prompting him to reposition her?

Why did he enjoy the feel of her in his arms, even now, after her disrespectful words to him?

Rin was an enigma, a challenge, an absolute oddity. And still he couldn't really find the desire to end her life. He had been honest when he told her that he found her interesting. She was a unique find, especially for someone like him who had pretty much seen and done it all in his almost two centuries of existence. And, there was another reason why he wanted to keep her around.

After turning away from her, he had continued to watch her from the corner of his eye. For a certainly, she was astute because she refrained from trying to ask him anything else in current mood. It was…amusing to see the myriad of emotions that flitted across her expressive face but what really grabbed him was the "sympathetic" look she gave him. He knew that she probably wouldn't have allowed that look to surface on her face if she knew that he was watching her, so he forced himself not to snap out something about not needing her "pity."

Instead, he asked himself how someone like her - a mere human and a fairly young one at that – could possibly identify with him? That question, above all others, he wanted an answer to.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Souta thought he might be sick. The smell of death was thick in the air and there were millions of flies buzzing about as they feasted on the bodies of the villagers who had escaped the fire on the west side only to fall prey to a rampaging _taiyoukai_.

Kazuhiko-Sama had ordered the gates to be opened once he realized that the monster was gone and apparently had no intention of taking his life…yet. Souta knew perfectly well, though, that his master had spared the _Daimyo's_ home to make a point. It was if he had said in effect, _"I can destroy you at anytime and there is nothing you can do to stop me."_ As nice as it should have been to think that no more people would lose their lives, Souta couldn't quiet the dark thought that the _Daimyo_ should have been shut out of his own gates and left to face the wrath of Sesshoumaru.

He had never seen such a shameful display in his life. A lord was supposed to protect his people, not leave them to die like animals just because he was too much of a coward to open his gates, even for a minute, to let them in. He just knew that the cries and screams of the dying would haunt him for a long while because he had been unable to bring his hands up and clap them over his ears. The only comfort he could take, and it went contrary to his nature, was the fact that he knew that Sesshoumaru would be back to finish what he started. Nothing less than the death of the fat _Daimyo_ and the two _miko_ who had captured him, would satisfy the vengeful _taiyoukai_.

Today, the sun had risen up strong and bright and the soldiers had brought him outside of the courtyard with them as insurance, in case Sesshoumaru came back. He had tried to tell him that his presence would change nothing because his lord had already sentenced him to death due to his being captured but they refused to listen.

So here he was, with his hands tied in front of him and a long length of rope attached to his bonds so that he could be led – like he was some sort of animal. Looking around at the demolished town, he wished more than anything that he knew if his family was alright. He didn't know if they had fled the blaze only to be killed by Sesshoumaru and he shuddered to think that his lord had killed him. If he had…well, even he would be hard pressed to forgive the _taiyoukai_.

He was also rethinking the wisdom of leaving Rin in Sesshoumaru's hands. Yes, his lord had given his word to protect her and he would keep it, but his adopted sister was a handful. The Rin he remembered had always been bold and even though she had given his lord a pretty speech about helping the two of them, she was still Rin. He had no doubt that his father – ever the stickler for manners and decorum – had been trying his very hardest to mold Rin into the ideal woman. However, he must have had limited success if Rin was still wild enough to attempt a rescue in the dead of night with nothing that, even faintly, resembled a weapon.

_'And she actually succeeded in her rescue too,'_ he thought, a tiny smile curling his lips. His little Rin had grown into quite the woman, Sesshoumaru hadn't known what hit him and it would be a long while before he would figure out Rin.

"What do you find so amusing?" the cold voice broke into his thoughts and his smile melted away like snow on a warm day.

Shifting his eyes over to look at the woman beside him he muttered a quiet, "nothing."

He couldn't decide if he was sad, angry, or confused towards his eldest sister. In all his twenty-two years of life, he had never imagined that she would become what she was now. Kikyou had never angered him as much as she had last night when - instead of fighting to overturn the Daimyo's cruel decision - she merely shrugged and said, "I will catch the beast after he is done. If he attacks us directly I will be more than happy to help but if he doesn't, send someone to fetch me so that we can begin our search for him anew."

With that she had turned and entered the massive home of the lord, the doors closing silently behind her. Even when she was being cruel she was graceful. Souta truly felt that he could have hated her in that very moment. The next time he and Kagome were alone together, he wanted answers. He deserved that much at least.

"Tell me, whatever happened to that little brat our father took in, Souta?"

The young man blinked and turned his eyes towards the ground. _'Why is she asking this now?__ Don't tell me she suspects that Rin had a hand in all of this?__'_

He chose his words carefully as he asked in a hushed voice, "Why are you bringing Rin up all of a sudden? Isn't it bad enough that she's probably dead and buried beneath the ruins of the town?"

The look she gave him was steady and he felt as if she were stripping him bare of his secrets. It was a deeply penetrating look that was unbecoming of her and, for a second, he wondered if the person before him were really Kikyou. She was just so…different - so cold. The Kikyou he admired as a child had been kind and gently, always giving. This Kikyou came across to him as selfish and cruel and…angry, so very, very angry.

Just what had happened to make her so mad at the world in general?

"Souta," she said his name softly and he snapped his head up to look at her, wary of her gently tone.

"I felt something very familiar tonight, Souta, a certain type of energy around that _youkai's_ cage."

"An…energy around the _youkai's_ cage? What kind and how would you know of such a thing," it was a struggle to keep his voice neutral. She might be trying to trick him into giving something away and he refused to sabotage the efforts made by both Rin and Sesshoumaru to escape her.

"It was a power similar to my own, that of a _miko_. Tell me, do you know how many _miko_ would be willing to aid such a dangerous monster in his escape?"

"I'm sure there are a few here and there," Souta said, giving her a forced smile.

She returned his smile with a beautiful one of her own and it threw his guard off so much that he didn't realize her intent until her palm connected with his face. He felt her nails dig into his skin and part the layers like water as they trailed across his cheek briefly before they were withdrawn. Souta stared at her in shock, feeling blood welling from the shallow scratches on his face. Not for the first time, he felt a tingle of fear go down his spine at the way his sister was acting. What was _wrong_ with her?

Her face was twisted mass of anger and hatred one minute and then…nothing. She smoothed her expression over with a tiny smile and said in a sweet voice, "There are none, Souta-Kun," she made his name sound like an insult.

"No _**real**_ _miko_ would ever have set him free. Not only that, to accomplish his escape, a _miko_ would have to be close to the caliber of Kagome or myself."

"I didn't know…" Souta began, immediately realizing the implications of her words. _'Just __how __strong __**is**__ Rin?'_ he asked himself.

"Of course you didn't. Were you also unaware of the fact that each miko has a particular energy signature? Perhaps your pretty, little youkai should have had the sense to destroy his cage. It certainly would have made tracking him down harder."

The only son of the Higurashi family felt a sense of foreboding. He just knew that he wasn't going to like whatever came out of her mouth yet.

And he was right.

"While your friend threw a fit last night, I came across an idea. No _miko_ worth her robes would ever knowingly free a demon. So that would leave someone who is powerful but…untrained. If my new prey had been a skilled _miko_, then she could have breached broken through my seal without leaving traces of her powers intertwined with my own."

"And if the _miko_ was untrained?" Souta asked in a hushed voice, though he already knew the answer.

She knew the answer as well because an unpleasant smile spread across her face. "That is a wonderful question, Souta-Kun. Let's just say that I've examined the broken seal on the cage and I found an energy that I've encountered only once before. Would you like to know where?"

"Not particularly," he muttered, knowing that she would tell him anyways.

"It's remarkably similar to traces of a power that I sensed from time to time at our old home. Since we own a shrine and visiting _miko_ are a familiar occurrence, I thought nothing of it. But I think I just might have to pay the site of our house a little visit. Who knows what I'll find."

Souta's apprehension was starting to border panic.

He hadn't given his crafty sister enough credit. She definitely either knew or suspected that someone very close to their family had a hand in Sesshoumaru's escape. There were few enough people who could claim that distinction that it was only a matter of time before she set her sights on Rin.

_'Dear Kami-Sama,'_ he prayed fervently, _'give Sesshoumaru-Sama __and Rin-Chan time.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As always, please tell me what you think. Hope this wasn't too boring for you all but those of you who read my other fics know that I just _loove_ characterization. ;P


	9. Arrival

Many thanks to my reviewers:

**Keleos, LitoxShorty, Trio of Terror, d2shny, shedevil666666, Princess Aralee, Sesshy4Ever, whitehitsugaya, icyattitude****, fluffycrush, HawkAngel XD, New Fan, Teela.akimako, and Jayde Raine**

**Notes: **The word "Kuroko" is the name of the stage hands in Japanese theater who dress all in black and are to be considered "invisible". I sometimes hear it translated as puppeteer. It is made up of the words for "Dark" and "Child" and so I used it for one of the characters name so technically her name is Dark Child. The "ko" at the end of a name is usually only used for female names (i.e. Haruko, Noriko).

**Warning:** there are going to be original characters in this fic for the simple fact that the main characters are not the only characters who exist in the world of Inuyasha, so I won't keep it narrowed down to only them. Before you ask, I don't intend to pair any of my own characters with the characters in Inuyasha, with the exception of maybe Jaken - if I do it at all.

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 7**

**Arrival**

"Dear, oh dear, what is _that_? And what is _it_ doing draped all over Sesshoumaru-Sama?"

The voice was only halfway hushed but the clear disapproval in it brought Rin out of her tiny doze and she frowned, wondering who or what they were talking about. Her cheek brushed against metal and her frown deepened. How in the word could she have possibly fallen asleep with such a hard surface for a pillow? Shifting, she turned her head to the side and winced as something dug into her cheek.

_'What in the world…?'_ she though groggily as she leaned away from the surface, in order to get a look at it. It appeared to be a breastplate with two spikes coming off the front of it and an attachment that sprouted from the side of it and also appeared to be adorned with spikes. On the other side of the breast plate was a pelt of some kind with one end tucked behind its owner's body and the rest thrown over his shoulder.

Her sleep-fogged mind finally caught up with the memories of her predicament at the same time an all-too-familiar voice asked, "How long do you plan on staring?"

She felt her face grow hot as she realized that she must have fallen asleep again as she waited for them to arrive at their destination. Looking down, she noticed that the dragon was on solid ground and breathed a sigh of relief that was short-lived because she also noticed that her arms were still wrapped around Sesshoumaru's waist. The young woman quickly jerked her arms away and folded them into her lap.

"Ah, yes, um…sorry," she murmured, looking up into those fascinating gold eyes of his.

The _taiyoukai_ performed that slight, head-tilting thing again that made him look young and she realized that he seemed to do it whenever she did something curious or unexpected – almost as if he were trying to puzzle her out.

_'Well, that would make two of us,'_ Rin thought with mild amusement. He obviously didn't understand her and she really didn't get him so they were two peas in a pod at the moment. If he found her strange then she could say the same for him because - now that she had the presence of mind to think back on it - she had to wonder why he had allowed her to fall asleep against his chest.

Rin searched his gaze, trying to find some kind of clue therein but he was closed to her. Giving herself a mental shrug, she decided that their battle of wills (a.k.a. getting Sesshoumaru to open up) would have to wait and settled for surveying their surroundings.

They were in some kind of courtyard and she marveled at the massive stone walls surrounding it. If she had to give a comparison on just how vast this courtyard was, it could have easily fit two of the daimyo's castles including their respective courtyards. There was a huge gate with what appeared to be two big dogs crouched on either side of it and when she craned her neck around, she saw an equally huge castle whose top she couldn't make out. The building looked like it had no end and she shrank a little closer to Sesshoumaru, somewhat intimidated by the sheer grandeur of the castle. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Sesshoumaru's dwelling and that fact alone drove home to her that she was way out of her element.

The architecture might have been similar in nature to that of her fellow humans but the dimensions were decidedly inhuman. Not only that, even the air was different. It was crisp, but not the type of crisp that one might encounter on a cool autumn day. No, the air was so clear and sharp that she felt as if it could slice her lungs to shreds if she dared to take in more than she needed to breath. It hummed too. There was power here, so much that she could choke. It was from the vast swirls of power ingrained into the very air itself that she felt, more than heard, that odd hum. It resonated around her and she felt as if it were seeking entrance to her very being so that it might ingrain itself as deeply into her as possible and make her its own.

An answering call to the power humming in the air worked its way up from her belly and she felt dizzy for a second as that strange power – the one that she had long since realized marked her as being a miko of some sort – flooded its way through her very being and repelled the energy seeking entrance to her body. It was so sudden and uncontrolled that the edges of her vision grew dim and spots danced before her eyes. Her power was trying to squeeze its way out of her body in order to chase after the foreign energy that had been attempting to invade in the first place and it was through sheer will alone that she kept it in check.

Her surroundings started to fade and something inside was screaming at her to lash out at anyone or anything that moved. She forced her energy back, inch-by-inch, to the spot where it had originated and the sudden loss of power flowing through her limbs made her feel sick. The next thing she knew, Sesshoumaru was dragging her off of the two-headed dragon with one arm before letting her go, giving her no choice but to sank to her knees in front of him because her legs felt too weak to support her. A shriek rang out and Rin winced.

"Not only is that thing _human_," the voice that had awoken her said in panicked tones, "but it's one of _those_ humans! It's trying to kill us!"

The person speaking was really starting to grate on Rin's nerves. The owner of the voice was obviously female and, whoever she was, she certainly wasn't helping her peace of mind. Here she was struggling with a power that she knew she had but couldn't really control because she hadn't been trained and this person had time to throw out insults? She didn't take too kindly to being called an "it" and she was feeling bad enough as it was without this woman rubbing her face into it. Throw her embarrassing position on the ground in front of her new master into the mix and she was ready to do damage.

Her head snapped up and she glared in the general direction of the voice. Her vision wavered a bit but sharpened immediately after and she began to look around for the culprit responsible for making such snide remarks. If she weren't so angry, she might have been somewhat intimidated by the sight that greeted her eyes.

A crowd of _youkai_ was surrounding them. It was made up of a variety of creatures that ranged from humanoid in form to shapeless blobs with eyes floating in a sea of jelly. There were males, females, and things whose gender she would never be able to guess in the crowd as well as a few who appeared to be children. Massive _youkai_ towered above the rest of the crowd while tiny ones, no higher than her knee, darted in and out of the shifting sea of legs. There was only one thing they all had in common and that was their focus on her. The eyes that returned her stare were a mixture of curiosity and hostility and she knew she would have to be cautious as long as she was here. They were both strange and wonderful at the same time and she wondered just what sort of life she could possibly live among them.

One person in particular caught her eye and she narrowed her vision to that person. It was a female _youkai_, one of the humanoid ones and Rin knew, somehow, that this person was the one who had been making such disparaging remarks from the moment she arrived.

She was beautiful - as most of the humanoid youkai were, both males and females – and Rin might have been impressed if the look on her face wasn't so snide. Putting her nasty expression aside, the woman had milk white skin with just a hint of blush to her cheeks. Her hazel eyes were rimmed in something black that looked as if it might have been make-up or markings of some sort and it traveled the perimeter of her eyes before flaring out on the corners. On the inner corners of her eyes, those that cradled the bridge of her narrow nose, the black spilled out and came to a point that ended about an inch down on either side of her nose. The points on the outer corners of her eyes were similar to those on the inner ones except they curved upwards and inwards, giving her a slight swirl that brought ones attention back to her eyes. Her eyebrows were thin, very fine slashes of black across her brow and they perfectly complimented her raven-colored hair. Her lips were painted in red and reminded Rin uncomfortably of the blood that stained a wild beast's maw after it had just made a kill. Her long hair was elaborately done in a series of graceful coils, held in place by silver ornaments and what she could see of her kimono was lavish. Her clothing was of the highest quality of black silk and there appeared to be birds done in silver which travelled in circular patterns beginning at her waist and radiating outward. Part of her kimono was obscured by a curious cloak that seemed to be made of raven feathers and in her hand was a lavish fan that also sported raven feathers.

Rin had no idea what to make of her but her certainty that this _youkai_ woman was the source of the rude comments was summarily confirmed. The woman actually had the nerve to paste a false look of fear on her face before spreading her fan and using it to obscure her lips – as if she were actually hiding behind it instead of using it to cover the smirk that Rin _knew_ was on her lips.

"Oh no, _it's_ looking at me," the distasteful woman murmured with more than a hint of mockery, black eyes staring directly into Rin's. A message was being conveyed here and, if she didn't know any better, she would say she was being challenged, though over what she couldn't say. She wasn't a particularly vengeful person but she wasn't stupid either. Rin knew when lines were being drawn and she knew that, if she wasn't careful, she could easily find herself boxed in. So she kept her mouth shut and merely watched to see how things would unfold, even though it fairly killed her to do so.

Seeing that Rin made no reply, the _youkai_ surrounding them fell to whispering among themselves. No doubt they were curious as to why their master had brought yet another human home when it had been a human responsible for their lord being imprisoned in the first place. It was also very likely that they were wondering why their lord had brought something as dangerous as a _miko_ in among them. There was no way that they hadn't felt the surge of power that rose up inside of her in response to the vast amounts of _youkai_ energy floating in the air.

_'What was it Kagome called that odd energy of theirs?'_ Rin mused,_ 'I think she said there were two types: jyaki and youki. Jyaki was __the __more visible and evil__ one but I don't see anything and I don'__t feel __particularly evil.__ So it must be the other one, youki.'_

"Dear, Sesshoumaru-Sama, far be it from me to question your motives but, I think we have a right to know why you have brought this particular human here," the _youkai_ woman began, with a tiny edge in her voice that pulled Rin from her thoughts. Looking at the woman, she noticed the faint lines of annoyance that creased her brow and felt a small rush of satisfaction. Apparently, the snide woman had been expecting her to make a reply to her rude comments and disliked that fact that Rin hadn't responded as she thought she would.

For the first time since arriving Sesshoumaru spoke and she had to repress a shudder at just how cold his tone was. "I am not obligated to explain myself to you, Kuroko," Sesshoumaru said and Rin twisted her head to look up at him, uncomfortably aware of the hard stones on the ground beneath her. She no longer felt so weak that her legs wouldn't support her but she didn't want to bring the attention of either one of the two _youkai_ back to her by standing up.

Kuroko lowered her fan and Rin felt chills go up her spine at the look on her face now. She didn't miss the fact that Sesshoumaru hadn't placed an honorific of any sort at the end of the other _youkai's_ name. He certainly didn't use one whenever he addressed _her_ and she had assumed that it was because she was a "mere" human but it appeared that he was disrespectful towards most of his own kind as well. She frowned at that – such behavior was bound to end in disaster because most creatures, intelligent or not, could only take so much abuse before they lashed out. She hadn't been in this place for half an hour and already she was seeing potential problems.

The _youkai_ around them had fallen silent the moment Sesshoumaru spoke, but they fell to murmuring once again after he finished and there was a distinct note of hostility in their tones. They were obviously displeased at their master's disinclination to tell them _why_ he was bringing yet another one of those "filthy humans" in among them and the looks coming her way did nothing to alleviate her worries. In fact, if she had to choose a description for the way the crowd around her looked, she would say they looked _mutinous_. How Sesshoumaru didn't notice it, she wasn't sure but she would bet anything that it had something to do with his curious inability to pick up on the emotions of others. He simply didn't seem to know how to put himself in someone else's shoes.

If she looked at it from the standpoint of a _youkai_, she could completely understand their feelings. She was their enemy - whether it was because she was human, _miko_, or both - and it would have to feel like a betrayal for one of their own kind to bring her in among them and not even give them the benefit of an explanation. It wasn't any different from the way Souta had been treated by his fellow humans because of his loyalty to Sesshoumaru. If humans could turn on their own kind, then so could _youkai_.

There was a lot of resentment in the eyes surrounding them and she knew that something had to be done. Sesshoumaru didn't seem to realize that his own people were more than a little upset with him – that or he didn't care, which was also very likely – and she had no desire to die. True, the _youkai_ surrounding her might let her live because Sesshoumaru wanted her alive, but what would happen if they decided that they no longer wanted him around? She'd be in deep trouble.

Something else was bothering her as well.

If anyone asked her if she liked Sesshoumaru, the answer would have been a resounding "no". From what she could tell he was spoiled, selfish, immature, and more than a little unreasonable. However, Souta _nii-chan_had been loyal to him and she had seen for herself that there was more to him than met the eye. Yes, it was easy to dislike him. Yes, she didn't think much of him. Yes, he made her angry. But he was a very complex creature and she would be lying if she said she didn't find him fascinating. His actions back in her hometown screamed "cruelty" but he kept his word to her brother and hadn't harmed a hair on her head. He could have dumped her off of the back of his two-headed dragon for irritating him but he had pulled her close and made her more comfortable instead. Sesshoumaru was such a walking contradiction.

He was commanding.

He was beautiful to look at.

And he was utterly unhappy.

Rin wasn't the type to tell people what they wanted to hear just to make them happy and, from what she could tell, he hadn't had anyone like her in his life. Not, if he could turn such a blind eye to what was going on around him. But it was obvious that he needed someone who would give it to him straight. The young woman couldn't image that he had friends of any sort, not with the way he treated others, but she was willing to overlook his prickly personality. Especially, if it afforded her a chance to see the man behind the cold mask he always seemed to wear. She was willing to offer him her friendship because it just wasn't in her to ignore someone in need.

And Sesshoumaru needed her - a young orphan named Rin, who refused to let him frighten her. With that in mind, she decided to run a bit of damage control, lest the _youkai_ around them pick now to rebel against Sesshoumaru.

Rin slowly made her way to her feet, knowing that all eyes were on her now, and set about dusting herself off, seemingly uncaring of the hostility in the air around her. She smoothed her hands over the bottom of her kimono, taking her sweet time to insure that her only outfit was dirt free as well as to gather her courage. Checking to make sure that her book was still tucked away in her sleeve, she then proceeded to adjust her obi – tightening it up and trying to make it look as presentable as possible. The last order of business was to comb her fingers through her hair to give it some semblance of order but she would definitely need to tackle the tangled strands with a comb once the opportunity presented itself.

Only after she was certain that the eyes of every _youkai_ in the crowd were trained on her, did she turn her own towards them and speak.

"Well, now that I have your attention, I think I would like to speak for myself."

Her gaze slid from one face to the next, gauging their reactions as she spoke her next words, "I realize that our two races do not get along but that doesn't mean that I will accept being spoken of as if I have no voice or thoughts of my own." She allowed her eyes to linger on the woman called "Kuroko" as she said this. The femal _youkai_ narrowed her eyes at Rin - obviously wondering what her game was - but said nothing. The other _youkai_ whispered among themselves and she caught snippets of conversation that re-affirmed her need to be cautious.

_"What a bold child,"_ someone hissed.

_"Yes, I find it amusing. I might be inclined to observe her for a bit,"_ said another

_"I'd rather eat her,"_ a silky voice said.

_"I agree. She's young. Young humans are the best. Their flesh is so nice and tender,"_ replied another.

_"Maybe she's Sesshoumaru's pet. Goodness knows he had that other human for long enough."_

_"He's becoming more and more like his father,"_ a deep voice said and she felt rather than saw Sesshoumaru stiffen next to her.

_'Now that's interesting,'_ Rin thought to herself, _'Why would the mention of his father unsettle him so much?'_ She tucked that question away for later and continued to speak, ignoring the whisperers and their snide comments.

"I absolutely do not need Sesshoumaru-Sama to speak for me," Rin said, aware that her new lord had focused those penetrating, gold eyes on her.

"You are audacious, aren't you, human," this came from Kuroko who had finally decided to speak up once more. Her lips were curled into a mocking smile and Rin wished that she could scratch that disgusting look off of her face. However, that would have been counter-productive, so she settled for using her mouth to put her in her place.

She looked the woman dead in the eye and replied, "And you are rude, aren't you, _youkai_." The smile melted right off of Kuroko's face and her lips curled back to reveal fangs.

"I should kill you for your impertinence, little girl," she hissed.

Where her sudden boldness came from, she didn't know, but she wasn't going to look a gift-horse in the mouth. All Rin knew was that one moment she was thinking that she'd had just enough of everyone threatening to kill her for speaking her mind and the next her feet were carrying her forward until she was a foot away from the hateful woman.

The woman towered over her but she had refused to be intimidated by Sesshoumaru just because he was physically larger and she wasn't about to start with this woman. Instead, she raised her head high, never breaking eye-contact, and said softly, "I am not yours to kill. My life belongs to Sesshoumaru-Sama, do you _think_ you have the right to take it?"

The silence that fell after her statement was deathly and Rin saw the beginnings of hatred for her blossoming in the woman's eyes. _'Darn it, Rin, you just can't keep your mouth closed,' _she chastised herself mentally,_ 'And why, oh why, did you say you are Sesshoumaru's to kill, like that's a good thing?'_ It took some effort to keep her inner turmoil from showing and giving the woman before her an opening but she managed to suck her natural apprehension in and hold onto it with a mental death-grip.

Rin's relief was profound when Kuroko narrowed her eyes at her, gave a little huff, and turned away – making it seem like she had simply grown bored of conversing with her. Rin suspected that she was just unused to a lowly human getting the better of her. There was absolutely no way that Kuroko would have been able to give her a reply that wouldn't make it look as if the female _youkai_ sought to usurp Sesshoumaru's power.

Of course, she was not so naïve as to believe that things were settled between the two of them but she _did_ hope to buy a little bit of time. Her arrival had apparently turned the _youkai_ community on its collective ear and Kuroko was just one of the many who definitely didn't want her here. It felt good to shut the nasty woman up but she silently kicked herself for not keeping a bridle on her tongue. She'd had every intention of speaking as politely as she could to the assembled crowd but that woman just got under her skin – there was just something about her that put her on guard.

Maybe it all went back to the challenging look the woman had thrown her way. If she looked at it from a woman's viewpoint, the reason behind the look could have been that Kuroko desired Sesshoumaru's affections and didn't want a human getting in the way. However, a woman who desired Sesshoumaru would probably have taken the time to learn a few things about his personality. The fact that the _taiyoukai_ was a private person, who had more than his fair share of pride, was readily obvious to anyone who was in his presence for five minutes. In her limited experience, most nobility seemed to share this trait and not a single one liked to have their motives questioned or their decisions overturned. So if this Kuroko sought to gain Sesshoumaru's favor, she had certainly done a good job of sabotaging any effort she might make in that direction by questioning Sesshoumaru openly in front of a crowd of his subjects.

On the other hand, maybe the female had questioned Sesshoumaru the way she had because she _did _know his personality. The eyes that she had looked into, while hateful, gave no indication of stupidity. Rather, they held a keen intelligence that was not unlike the bird whose feathers decorated both her clothing and her fan. If she were a betting woman, she would lay down money that the woman had been trying to deliberately undermine Sesshoumaru's authority – knowing that he wasn't the type to tell everyone the "why's" and "how's" of his actions. Who knows how the situation would have deteriorated if she hadn't stepped in herself.

Why the woman seemed to have it in for the _taiyoukai_, she wasn't sure, but she didn't have to stretch her imagination very far when she took in the opulence of Sesshoumaru's dwelling. Her new lord was very powerful, she was coming to realize, and his power wasn't limited to just what he could do with those wickedly sharp claws of his. _'Just what I need, to land in the middle of a__ potential__ political mess,'_ she thought with a frown before looking around at the crowd and realizing that they were waiting for her to speak once more.

Feeling somewhat awkward now and remembering that, for all her bravado, she was still just a sixteen-year-old girl who was way out of her element, she offered the gathered _youkai_ a shy smile. Clearing her throat, she spoke once more, "Ah, well as for who I am and why I'm here, I am a replacement servant, of sorts. My name is Rin and I'm sixteen. There's nothing particularly special about me, other than the fact that I'm here to take the place of my brother."

_"So she __**is**__ just a pet like that other human was,"_ someone said and she controlled her automatic rise in temper.

Apparently, _youkai_ were just as fond of gossip as human were because they fell to murmuring amongst themselves _for the hundredth time_ and she felt herself getting irritable. Where all _youkai_ this inconsiderate? She had just traveled who-knows-how-far, woken up to a crowd of people who were obviously not human, endured the spiteful comments of a potentially power-hungry female, and she _still_ didn't really know _how_ to control her powers. If she accidentally purified someone, she was going to be in serious trouble and she hadn't done a thing to deserve being treated like a mindless smudge of dirt with no thoughts, opinions, or will of her own.

And she was _**TIRED**_, darn it!

She must have let out some kind of sound or maybe her scent changed - she was **not** about to ask him what she smelled like – but whatever the reason, Sesshoumaru moved forward and smoothly maneuvered himself so that she was partially obscured behind him. She was shocked to say the least because, if she didn't know any better, she would say that he was acting as a shield between her and his subjects but, as usual, he opened his mouth and ruined it.

"She is of little consequence. Treat her as you did her brother," he said and his tone brooked no argument. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jaken step forward and he fixed stern, bulging yellow eyes on the crowd, following his lord's lead.

"Sesshoumaru-Sama has important things to attend to. You'll have time enough to figure the human out," the little toad squeaked out, making shooing motions with his weird staff. She had no idea why it had two heads on if and she didn't want to know.

Rin breathed a tiny sigh of relief as Sesshoumaru's subjects got the point and quieted down. There were a number of looks exchanged before they turned, almost in unison, and began to move away – going back to whatever they had been doing before their master returned. From her vantage point of looking at them from behind now, Rin couldn't help but feel that their collective backs reminded her of a wall of sorts. A wall designed specifically to shut out Sesshoumaru and anyone who affiliated themselves with him and she fervently prayed that it never came down to that. Not just because her life was on the line, but because she didn't want anything bad to happen to Sesshoumaru before she could give him a chance to show her that there really was more to him than met the eye.

Well, whatever the case, she was very happy to gain a short break from a crowd of scrutinizing eyes and a _youkai_ woman with a sharp tongue. In very short order, she found herself mostly alone, with only Sesshoumaru, the toad, and the two-headed dragon for company. Now that the crown had dispersed, other needs came to her attention. She wanted, more than anything else, to bathe and go to sleep, but she had no idea where she could satisfy those particular desires, so she turned to Sesshoumaru in order to direct her questions at him.

"Sesshoumaru-Sama," she began and paused at the look in his eyes when he turned to look at her. His golden eyes were cold and the corners of his mouth were pressed tight in displeasure.

_'What is the matter with him, now?'_ she wondered and it wasn't long before her question was answered.

"Jaken," he said quietly, drawing the toad's attention to him.

"Yes, Sesshsoumaru-Sama?" the tiny _youkai_ squeaked.

"Leave us."

Jaken's eyes widened and he looked from Sesshoumaru to Rin and back again before a smug grin tugged on his thin lips. Rin could only guess that his look meant that she was in trouble with Sesshoumaru.

"As you wish, my lord," Jaken said before turning and marching off, a tiny hop in his step that made him look even more like the toad he claimed to be.

Sesshoumaru waited until the toad was out of sight before making his next move. All Rin knew was that, in one moment she was staring at the spot where Jaken had been and in the next she found her neck being gripped by claw tipped fingers. At the risk of breaking or severely injuring her neck, she didn't resist – much – as he forced her head up so that she had no choice but to look him in the eye.

He said nothing for a long moment and when she opened her mouth to speak, he gave her a look that made her snap it shut once more. Silence stretched out as his amber eyes moved over her, taking in the details of her face before sliding downwards briefly to assess her young form. She squirmed under his scrutiny but remained still otherwise, curious as to what he would do next.

The _taiyoukai_ didn't speak until his eyes came to rest on hers once more and when he did, she was taken aback, "How old are you?"

She completely didn't expect him to ask her age, but since there didn't seem to be much harm in answering it she swallowed briefly and replied, "I'm sixteen."

"Young," he said softly and his grip loosed just a fraction.

"I'm old enough to marry," she said just as softly.

"Indeed," he said and a curious hardness stole into his eyes as he spoke his next words, "Then I suppose you are old enough to know when to hold your tongue, are you not Rin?"

If possible, his voice was even colder than she had heard previously and she couldn't stop a faint tremor from going through her body. There was something different about Sesshoumaru, as if the walls he kept around his emotions had gotten even thicker. He had at least shown her a little bit of emotion when they were still travelling – even though it was mainly annoyance - but now…now, she could hardly read. She could tell he was displeased at her and that was it.

For the first time, Rin wondered if she was in over her head and she licked her lips nervously. His eyes tracked the movement briefly before returning to her own which didn't help her peace of mind. His stare was seriously starting to unnerve her.

"I saw no reason to remain silent," she said in a tiny voice, "and…I couldn't just stand there and let that woman talk you into some sort of trap."

One fine silver brow went up and the claws on the back of her neck tightened so much that she had to bite back a cry of pain.

"Do you think I am unaware of that? Do you think I can't defend myself," he intoned dangerously and she shook her head slightly, wincing as the movement caused his sharp nails to draw blood.

"I can't say anything about that," she choked out, her fear rising up strong as she realized that she might have gone too far this time. Rin could feel tiny beads of blood welling up from the tiny punctures his claws had made in her skin and struggled not to shudder. She wasn't a coward, not by a long stretch, but neither was she a fool. Just as Kuroko had drawn a line between Rin and herself, Sesshoumaru was drawing a clear line between the two of them as well. Though she had been smart with him a number of times since meeting him, such bravado was possible only because she had been more or less ignoring the fact that he came from a completely different world from her.

Sesshoumaru, however, wasn't going to let her ignore that fact for much longer, she could feel it in the grip of his claws on her neck and the chill in the amber eyes that stared down at her. Even when he was threatening her life and that of her brother, she had never felt as close to death then as she did now and only a fool would have remained unafraid.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Okay, I had to stop here. I'm trying something a bit different and before I start writing something crazy, I need to break this up. Sesshoumaru's P.O.V. is coming up next. Please let me know what you think. I know the story is moving a bit slow but I have a lot in store for this.


	10. Boundaries

Alright, a heads-up to everyone before you read this chapter. I _do not_ plan to rush the romance in this fic so when you come to a certain part in this chapter - and you'll know it when you get to it - please remember that these two don't even like each other yet and they're still trying to reach an understanding. I'm not trying to do the whole "I hate you in one moment and love you in the next for no reason" thing. **shudders::**

Rest assured, these two are going to fall in love but it's going to take work before it happens. Also, in regards to Sesshy's personality, he's young but not stupid. These two don't really know each other yet so there's going to be quite a bit of guesswork going on as to "why is he like this?" or "why does she do that?" Rin's going to take our Sess on a wild ride before I'm through.

Also, before anyone asks - I've probably already said this before but just in case - Sesshoumaru's youki kind of has a mind of it's own. He doesn't have multiple personalities but I've always imagined that he can't exactly turn his senses off either. Since they are so much more highly developed than a human's I treat them as the part of him that will admit to and notice things that he would rather not. Call it comic relief mixed with a healthy dose of contrivance, if you will. ::grins::

Anyways, much love to my reviewers:

**SpazzChicken**(I did use to many she's in my description, sorry 'bout that, I guess I got caught up, thanks for noticing it)**Alisoro****sessxrin****birdladay****birdlady**(did you review twice )**, withering-****blackrose**(I absolutely do not mind if you add it to your C2)**Ciel**(you have a good point but I don't want Rin to be too hard-hearted of a character. I honestly see her as the type who looks for the good in everyone while being cautious at the same time. Like I said, Sesshoumaru reminds her of herself before she had a family, so she _can_ sympathize with him on that level, but she doesn't necessarily excuse him for the way he acts. She also isn't foolish enough to burn her bridges)**whitehitsugaya****UnknownBeauty****loha****, New Fan, ****fluffycrush****Jayde****Raine****LitoxShorty****HawkAngel**** XD, ****anhimals****TatteredCrimson**(There's going to be a lot of "get to know the characters thoughts-ish" parts, so that you can see just how differently these two think…and just how wrong they are about each other in some areas, lol. Glad you liked it.)

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 8**

**Boundaries**

_**"So soft,"**_ his _youki _murmured.

_**"So delicate."**_

_**"So fragile."**_

Sesshoumaru clenched his teeth and attempted to ignore the constant stream of descriptions that his _youki_ sent his way regarding the girl. If there was anything that he regretted about being a _youkai_, it was the inability to completely turn off his senses sometimes. It was even worse when he was here inside of his ancestral home, where generation after generation of _inu__youkai_ had dwelled before him. His palace and a great deal of the surrounding forest was saturated with _youki_ that, while not necessarily his own, was similar enough to magnify his senses many times over whenever he was in residence. Few things went on in his household that he was not aware of.

There was so much residual power threaded throughout his abode that if any human or youkai were ever able to harness it against him, there would be little he could do to fight against it – unless he had something like the _Shikon__ no Tama_. As it was, the leftover _youki_ floating about in the air had a mind of its own and had a tendency to cling to anyone who entered its sphere of influence. The girl was certainly no exception and he had to wonder just how powerful she was if she could repel the vast amount of youki that had no doubt attempted to attach itself to her.

Only two humans had ever entered his family's abode - the first was the mother of his half-brother and the second was Souta. Both humans became violently ill upon entering and had been bed-ridden for a few days whereas Rin had forcibly expelled the _youki_ out from her body and, aside from a temporary bout of weakness, was fine enough in a few minutes to face his hostile subjects and show him yet another glimpse of that curious boldness of hers. If he wasn't so annoyed, he would have found himself admiring her.

His annoyance stemmed from two different areas. The first was Kuroko. The _w__atarigarasu_ – or raven –_youkai_ sought to usurp him and it was growing tiresome to juggle her back and forth between his people and hers. She had been after his position for half-a-century, he had known it the moment he met her. Her first ploy had been to try and seduce him, but - since he had never been particularly interested in anyone besides himself - he had only a rudimentary idea of how to court a female and little desire to rectify his situation. In fact, the first time that he had ever really taken the time out to appraise a female's charms would be the previous night when he first met Souta's troublesome, adopted sister. Since then, his _youki_ had yet to stop sending him comments about her and it was sorely trying his patience.

Naturally, just thinking about how she was affecting him led him on to the second source of his aggravation: Rin. She had very nearly ruined his painstakingly executed plan with her accursed boldness.

The _taiyoukai_knew that some of his subjects thought that he was merely young and foolish, easily manipulated and blind to most of the things they did. What they didn't know was that he was very much aware of their activities. For example, he knew that a certain number of his nobles had allied themselves with Kuroko and had been slowly trying to turn his own people against them. He had known about their plot from the moment they set it into motion, about five years previously. Sesshoumaru was incensed at first but the more he thought on it, the more he realized that an opportunity had opened up. The young lord had no intention of being like his father - a "fair" ruler who was led about by his foolish emotions and destroyed the empire he had worked so carefully to maintain for the sake of a worthless human woman.

If he had to manipulate others to hold onto his power, so be it. If he had to build a kingdom on the blood of others, so be it. He was far more patient than others gave him credit for and ha had merely been biding his time as he watched…and waited. The fools were so confident, certain that he didn't know but they too were pawns, a means to an end. Let them gather followers around themselves. Let them try and build an army against him. All of the people who sought to do him harm would come out of the woodworks and foolishly ally themselves with his betrayers. Soon, very soon, they would make their move and he would perform a bit of "spring cleaning," getting rid of the trash as it were.

However, Sesshoumaru would not be rushed - they couldn't know that he was on to them, hence his deliberate refusal to answer Kuroko. The raven _youkai_ was conniving and intelligent – he could almost admire her for that – and he had already made the decision to use Rin's arrival as the perfect opportunity to fan the flames of his enemies just a little bit higher…until Rin stepped up.

He had thought that even Rin would learn fear when faced with a crowd of _youkai_ who were weary of fighting her kind and would just as soon eat her as look at her. However, she had surprised him as well. She was far more intelligent than he gave her credit for and had felt the beginnings of admiration stir for her once more as she faced down Kuroko – who had been putting Rin down from the moment he landed on the back of Ah-Un. Rin was so very tiny – his _youki_ had made sure to bring that fact to his attention – as she stood before the raven youkai and matched her glare for glare. And then, she took it a step further. When Kuroko threatened to kill Rin, he had almost moved to intervene but the young human girl had shocked every person in the crowd when she invoked his name.

The _taiyoukai_ would not soon forget the sight of her, standing there so proud and straight, her chin lifted in defiance as she spoke.

_"I am not yours to kill. My life belongs to Sesshoumaru-__Sama,__ do you think you have the right to take it?"_

Sesshoumaru had been debating whether she was brave or merely stupid and her actions decided him. How she knew what to say in order to save her neck from an angry female youkai, he didn't know, but she had apparently divined enough about his character and the situation to turn it to her advantage. Not only had she saved her own life with her words but she had more or less placed herself under his "protection" by saying that no one but him had the right to kill her. It was an unspoken rule among youkai that you simply didn't take someone else's kill – especially that of your ruler – unless permission had been granted. Call it a throwback to the animal instincts that each _youkai_ possessed in varying degrees, but it worked. Rin, he decided, was a clever, _clever_ girl.

Too clever, actually.

He decided then and there that he needed to nip her in the bud before all of his carefully laid plans went to ruin. Her calm explanation of her situation to the crowd had set his plans back as he saw some of his subjects calm down a bit, chew on her words, and nod to themselves that this made sense. It was the exact opposite of what he sought to achieve. He wanted them angry, not accepting of the situation.

That Rin might have the potential to accomplish something that no human had before – getting his people to accept her – was readily apparent. She was smart enough to figure out how _youkai_ worked and stubborn enough to wear most of them down and he would have none of it.

Hence, it brought him back to this moment. Golden eyes pierced soft brown and silence had descended after she had answered all of his questions. She was afraid, he could smell it, but it didn't give him as much pleasure as he thought it would. Well, perhaps a better description would be that it he did and didn't enjoy her fear. He had yet to remove his claws from her neck and would have been easy enough to snap her neck but he couldn't.

"Tell me," he said softly, "if you despise me so, why come to my rescue? I would think that you would be glad to get rid of me."

She swallowed and he felt to small bones of her neck undulate gently against his pal with her movement.

"I never said I despised you," she said slowly, "but I am not stupid. I don't know why you let her talk to you like that but if your people betray you…what do you think will happen to me? Even if I must suffer you for the rest of my days, I'd rather do that than lose my life."

He turned her words over in his mind and realized that – though his pride didn't like the fact that she had presumptuously decided to "defend" him by lessening the offense of bringing in another human in the eyes of his people – what she said actually made some sort of sense. The young woman really _didn't _have much of a choice in her course of actions. Souta had already prepared himself to die before Sesshoumaru brought him home to his castle, so he had simply taken whatever came his way but Rin…she was a fighter. She had, amazingly enough, analyzed the situation and taken the steps necessary to keep herself alive. Even though she didn't like him, she wasn't foolish enough to believe that she would live to see the end of the day if he was out of the picture. So, she had stepped in where he would have allowed things to run their course and turned his plans upside down because she wanted to keep on breathing.

Of course, he had no intention of dying whenever his untrustworthy subjects revolted against him but she didn't know that. However, he had definitely been correct in his earlier assessment that she was a very intelligent girl and he knew that, sooner or later, he was going to have to form yet another plan in order to keep her under his thumb. Rin was afraid of him now, with his claws pressed into the tender flesh of her neck, but he highly doubted that she would maintain that fear for very long - she didn't seem the sort to bow to anyone. Besides, fearful she might be at the moment, but there was no disguising the defiant gleam in her eye.

_**"So pretty,"**_ his _youki_ murmured out of the blue and he blinked, his hold loosening just a bit.

Talking to her had distracted him from the observations his _youki_ fed him about her and he had foolishly let down his guard. Now that he had taken to ruminating over her actions in his mind, it seemed to have joined forces with the vast amount of residual _youki_ embedded in every stone, tree, and particle of dust and air that made up his castle and lands. The effect of their combined influence was staggering and his senses were suddenly overloaded with feedback – all of it stemming from Rin.

Things like this were exactly why he avoided skin on skin contact with everyone, especially in his own home. What might have stirred up mild sensations outside of his realm was magnified many times over once he was back in his own demesne. Add to that his unusual fascination with Rin, and it was a recipe for trouble. He'd had enough trouble already when he entered the air above his courtyard on ah-Un's back and his body had suddenly felt hyper-sensitized to the feel of her slight form in his arms.

Now, as he held her and felt the fragile bones and soft skin that comprised her neck, something new - made up of one part _youkai_ and one part male - stirred briefly inside of him and his body went rigid. A very subtle shift occurred and he got that odd feeling again – that sort of "liked-but-disliked" feeling. However, this time, it wasn't so much a feeling as it was the knowledge that a mini civil war was about to be waged inside of him.

Case in point, the longer he stared at the pale skin of the neck the more he felt torn between wanting to tear her throat out with his fangs and wanting to take his tongue and lap at the salt on her skin. He both wanted to tear her head off and slide his hand up and down her neck – maybe even a little further – to see if she was so soft everywhere. And the scent of blood emanating from the place where his claws had punctured her…his tongue felt thick in his mouth as he imagined both the sensation of it sliding over his claws as he killed her and the taste of it should he turn her around and soothe the slight wounds with his tongue.

Never in his life had he had such a strong reaction to any female and yet he could bring himself to let go of her until he realized that he had taken his thumb and was running it slowly up and down the column of her throat. His _youki_ fed him the sensations while his mind provided the images of both taking that slender neck of hers and twisting it until it snapped or burying his nose against it and inhaling her scent until he passed out from sensory overload.

With some effort he released his grip on her throat and controlled his breathing, furious with her and his reaction to her nearness. Never, ever, **EVER** in his life had he felt this oddly around a woman and he did **not** like it – even less because he barely knew her. He couldn't control the glare he sent her way and he was satisfied to see her flinch. However, she evoked his admiration and irritation simultaneously when she seemed to give herself a little shake and returned his hard look with one of her own, her stance radiating wariness. She might not have been a _youkai_ but she apparently knew that, right now, she was in the presence of a predator. He was halfway tempted to bare his fangs at her to make her submit to him but reason overrode the impulse - _that_ urge was purely _youki_ speaking and he refused to indulge the more animalistic side of his nature.

Whatever the case, he needed to take control of the situation _now_ before he made a fool of himself. Taking in a deep breath, he lowered his eyelids and forced himself to calm down so that he could extricate his power from that of the surrounding area. The _taiyoukai's_ heartbeat slowed and his acute awareness of the human girl diminished until he felt no more than a tiny pang of recognition. His sensitive ears picked up on her harsh pants as her lungs tried to re-adjust to an unconstructed airway. Her hard breaths gradually slowed then settled down to the near imperceptible inhales and exhales of normal breathing.

_**"She's staring at you,"**_ his youki whispered and he stifled a sound of annoyance at yet another unwanted observation about the girl - he seemed to be permanently upset by Rin these days. Sesshoumaru ignored her for the moment, knowing that she really didn't have anywhere else to go until he gave her directions. His breathing came out just a bit easier and his heartbeat finally resumed its normal rhythm as his body finished expelling the bulk of additional youki.

And, of course, as if it had been allowing him time to deal with his treacherous powers before coming out, his curiosity hit him with a barrage of questions.

_Why was she still standing there even if she didn't know where to go? Was she not afraid of him even though he had crossed yet another line in his threats against her? Why had his own _youki_ betrayed him like that? Why had he been torn between killing her and lavishing her with his a__ffec__tions__ like __one of the __lower _youkai_ who thrived on human contact__ and produced enough half-breed offspring to fill a small village_

He felt the beginnings of a potential headache stirring and sighed very gently so as not to alert Rin to his current mood. The young lord didn't think he'd ever had to fight against himself like this before and he would not care for a repeat. There were so many questions bouncing around in his head and few answers to go with them. His only certainty was that the answers to most of his questions lay with Rin and he wasn't about to ask her for them either.

Later, in the privacy of his own room, he would figure out why he'd reacted to strongly to her nearness and why his youki sought her out so much but now was not the time. _'I need to figure out where to put her,' _he thought, still ignoring the girl in front of him.

_'Perhaps I can put her in her brother's room? No, there are too many males in wing,' _he refused to contemplate why he felt the need to keep her separate from other males, '_maybe with the servants…' _His musings were cut short by the sound of Rin's voice.

"Oh my," she said and he opened his eyes fully once more to look at her, deliberately putting a tight lid on the remnants of his inner turmoil.

He took the time to shoot a small glance at her neck, relieved when all he could think of was that it was indeed very fragile. No visions of tearing it open or licking it clean assaulted him and some of the tension when out of his body. Golden eyes slid upwards to stared into soft, earthy brown ones and he searched their depths to see if she had reciprocated his feelings in any way – not that he was the best at reading the emotions of others – and more tension flowed out when he detected no signs of attraction. Her eyes were curious, a little wary, but open nonetheless and he nodded to himself mentally. She was definitely no _youkai_ who was cursed with hyper-acute senses that took on a mind of their own sometimes.

"What is it now?" he asked at last, once he was satisfied with his perusal.

"It's just, I never noticed that over your eyes – and I hesitate to say face paint because I only ever see that on women – are…are…I don't know what you call them," she said, biting the corner of her lip in embarrassment or, more likely, amusement.

It took him a moment to understand that she was asking him about the small, crimson stripes that adorned his eyelids, but when he did, he was taken aback. Of all the things he thought she might say or take note of. Of all the questions that were sure to be flying through her mind about his aggressive behavior just a few minutes ago. Of all the random things that seemed to pop out from between those pouty lips of hers, he would never have thought that she would choose now, of all times, to ask him _that_. Just when he thought that he might be pegging down her unruly personality, that odd quirk of hers struck again.

Granted, her question _did_ take his mind off of the disturbing thoughts that followed in the wake of his…unusual reaction to her, but it was uncanny how much alike she and her brother were sometimes. Of course there were huge personality differences such as Souta's yielding nature and Rin's pushy one, but both were inordinately curious. And both had reacted to the markings adorning his eyelids the same way.

_'Maybe I should make a sign…'_ he thought to himself before opening his mouth to answer her unexpected question and closing it immediately. _'__Am I losing my mind?__'_ he asked himself sourly. He had no obligation to answer such an asinine question and he would _not_ indulge the woman-child in front of him by giving her a reply. The look he sent her way told her as much.

He was rewarded with a bright smile that immediately put him on guard. Rin should have been afraid of him for _at least_ a few hours or _something_ but there she stood, looking as if the stressful ordeal of being insulted and scrutinized by his people and nearly choked to death by himself had happened years ago instead of a mere half-hour or so ago. There was an unreadable look in those soft brown eyes of hers and he wondered, not for the first time, just what was going through her head.

"Where will I be staying, Sesshoumaru-Sama?" she asked after a while.

Sesshoumaru had a feeling that she wanted to ask him something else entirely but opted not to inquire about it lest she think he had more than a passing interest in her – he did, but there was no need for her to know that. He could only imagine the look on her face if he told her that his interest in her was partially that of a _youkai_ who wished to use her as a tool for furthering his own ends. She would be useful in flushing out more of his enemies and he hadn't forgotten about her raw powers. If he could have a _miko_ on his side…the possibilities were endless.

He had to force down a predatory grin in order to maintain his usual apathetic expression as he turned towards his castle and said, "Follow me."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rin stuck by her earlier assessment: Sesshoumaru was a living, breathing, walking, talking contradiction.

She might have been young but stupid, she was not. Yes, he had scared her when he was all but choking the life out of her, but the look that came into his eyes after she told him her reason for interceding on his behalf was even more frightening. If she had to describe the way he looked at her, she would have said he wanted to either dismember her or throw her down and do unspeakable _male_ things to her. She was well aware of the fact that, while she wasn't exactly beautiful, she _had_ been pretty enough to turn heads since she was thirteen. If she didn't know that Sesshoumaru didn't care for humans, she would have categorized the look he gave her as somewhat desirous. However, since that didn't compute with what she knew about him she swiftly discarded the notion and decided that he was sifting through the various ways he wanted to end her life.

It was better to think that way after all because, even though she was a practical soul, she was still female. No woman in her right mind could possibly remain unaffected if a creature as gorgeous as Sesshoumaru had his sights set on her. Therefore, for Rin's peace of mind, the safe thing to do would be to categorize Sesshoumaru's relationship to her as that of a cat and the mouse he wanted to play with…right before he bit off her head and left in a doorway somewhere. It would not do to dwell on the way her stomach had performed a tiny flip-flop when the notion of Sesshoumaru paying the slightest bit of romantic attention to her had flitted through her confused mind.

Besides, she hadn't forgotten that she disliked him and, until he started to remove some of the walls he kept around himself, she would continue to dislike him. However, after he released her and seemed to be composing himself, she hadn't been able to resist the temptation to look at him - _really_ look at him - in the full light of day, without being perched on the back of a dragon flying miles above good old _terra firma_ and scared out of her mind.

Rin had to wonder at the wisdom of her decision as it hit her once more that Sesshoumaru was absolutely stunning. Sesshoumaru by torchlight was good-looking. Sesshoumaru by the light of a hundred burning buildings was mesmerizing. Sesshoumaru looking down at her and growling by the light of the morning sun was dangerous _and_ beautiful. And Sesshoumaru, who was half ignoring her with his eyes nearly closed. Sesshoumaru, who stood there while the sun reached down and caressed its fingers across his face to bring his strong jaw and high cheekbones into stark relief before plucking pure white highlights out of his shimmering, silver hair. This Sesshoumaru before her made her wish in a very secret place – half-hidden even from herself - that his personality was beautiful enough to match his looks.

Very rarely did any man turn her head but this person, this _youkai_, reminded her that she was a young woman who was old enough to wed and that she was going to be around him for an, as yet, unknown period of time. For a brief second, the Rin from the past six years returned. That Rin had played such a shy, lady-like role for so long that she half believed that that was who she truly was. That Rin didn't run and play around like she used to but walked in tiny, mincing steps, performed the tea ceremony perfectly, and believed that her duty was to marry into a good family and provide excellent connections for the Higurashi family – more specifically, for its strict master. That Rin wouldn't have snuck out to free her brother and put herself in the hands of a dangerously beautiful but inhuman master.

She felt a strong surge of both insecurity and inferiority as her mind raced around the fact that Sesshoumaru was far out of her league, dwelling on that fact like a dog that barked and ran circles around the tree up which it had chased its prey. Oh, she was strong when she had to be, but there were still times when she felt she wasn't good enough, when nothing she did ever seemed to please the master of the Higurashi household. It was how she had felt as a bedraggled orphan, who acted more like a wild animal than a human because she had been repeatedly told that a child without parents was better off dead. She had been angry, so angry…and so lonely.

When the head of the Higurashi house hold had looked at her after his children brought her home for the first time, she had been acutely aware of just how much greater he was than her. She knew he was powerful and he didn't let her forget it. After Souta left for the war, he expected the best and only the best from her when it came to her studies in the art of being a woman from a family which produced some of the strongest priests and _miko_ in all Nippon. The real Rin, the courageous Rin, had gradually submerged beneath the deceptively calm waters of a lake termed "A Lady".

Her first act of defiance in six years had been her attempt to rescue her adopted brother. How could she - after tasting freedom following such a long wait – possibly go back to the way she was? How could she return to being a painted doll that did things only because it was expected of her and endured because she herself felt as if she would never be good enough to satisfy someone else's standards?

Once, she had looked up at the imposing master of the Higurashi household and been acutely aware that he was much stronger and greater than she and it had shaped her behavior for years. She would not allow it to happen again with Sesshoumaru. He was ten times more imposing than her adopted father and his hypnotic beauty presented a threat to her emotional well being that she hadn't encountered before. But she _would not_ give him the sort of power over her that she had given her "father", allowing her misconceived notions about herself to make her do what he wanted her to just because she didn't think she was good for anything else. What slave, after breaking free, would willingly return to his or her chains?

Her resolve not to give in to his whims hardened and she decided to take control of the situation while she could. She had already realized that the best way to deal with him was to keep him on his toes by doing and saying the unexpected, which was why she decided to pick out one of his features that she hadn't paid much attention to before and ask him about it. What she really wanted to know was the meaning behind that curious look he'd given her when he was threatening her life just a few minutes ago, but he was smart enough to expect that type of question and counter it with something rude.

He really _was_ a lot like her as child, when she was simply a wanderer with nothing but a raggedy kimono and two hands that were only good for stealing food. They weren't so similar in the fact that she'd had an inferiority complex, per se, but they were so much alike in their desire to shut everyone out. Naturally, that didn't excuse his rudeness but it had been, and still _was_, the main reason why she was inclined to take his words and actions with a grain of salt. His arrogance and standoffishness were aggravating but, then, he hadn't had Souta like she had growing up. It made for an interesting challenge to see if she could open him up.

With that in mind, she opened her mouth and got his attention with an "oh my" that gave the impression that she had just had a revelation of some sort.

Silver-tipped eyelashes, that put most women to shame, rose and revealed a penetrating pair of golden irises that met her own plain, brown orbs. For one long minute he appeared to search her eyes for something and it was by sheer will alone that she kept her stomach from performing flip-flops again just because he took his time to peruse her. Some small part of her wondered what it was that he saw and an even smaller part hoped that he was just a little bit pleased at what he saw.

Rin swiftly choked that asinine thought to death before she said something stupid.

"What is it now?" he asked after a while and she mentally took a deep breath before asking him about those strange marks over his eyes.

The results were amusing to say the least. If she closed one eye and squinted, she could just make out the flicker of surprise that went through his normally impassive eyes before he opened his mouth and shut it, biting back whatever it was he planned to say.

_'Bet you __**really**__ weren't expecting __**that**__,'_ Rin thought smugly as he seemed to be at a loss for words. Despite her rather dour thoughts earlier, she had never been the type to dwell on things that made her unhappy for too long since she was well aware of the fact that sad thoughts made her bad company. She had never quite managed to quell her mischievous streak and it served her well when dealing with others - the _taiyoukai_ was no exception.

Instead of saying anything, Sesshoumaru glared at her, his mouth set in a line that told her he wasn't going to answer her. And since she had asked him such a random question for the express purpose of throwing off his equilibrium, she also made the choice to mess with him even more by returning his scowl with the prettiest smile she could muster. If anything his scowl deepened.

So perhaps she _was_ a bit suicidal to bait him like this, but she couldn't help it, he needed some serious shaking up. She'd been afraid that she had pushed him too far when he had his hand around her throat. In fact, she had truly believed he meant to kill her, for sure this time, but the fact that he hadn't when it would have solved a potential problem between his subjects and him told her a lot about him. Whether his reasons were noble or not, something inside of her told her that he had a lot to offer her and the rest of the world if only she could get a hold of the _real_ Sesshoumaru.

With that in mind, she asked him where she was going to be living in that ridiculously large castle of his.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was hard, sometimes, to be both a _miko_ and the "weapon" that the people making use of her powers had formed her into. If Kikyou used too much of her power, she could hear _their_ voices shrieking at her, trying to tear her to pieces from the inside out because her body sped up the purification process and hurt them. On the other hand, if she didn't keep enough spiritual energy circulating throughout her body, the darkness embedded inside of her tried to take over and suck her down and swallow her consciousness whole. It was a lose-lose situation with both her life and her sanity on the line.

Sometimes she would do something that she knew she shouldn't and it was then that she would have to fight herself - feeling torn between disappointment and deliriously wicked glee at making the people around herself suffer. The hand that she had used to slap Souta throbbed and she hated herself for hurting her little brother. And yet, at the same time a corner of her mouth twitched upwards and a wicked voice, originating from the thing inside of her –which she referred to as "the Darkness" - told her in dulcet tones that he deserved everything she did to him and more.

It was just…she had been so angry that he was hiding things from her. She was his big sister. Hadn't she always watched over and protected him? How could he repay her by trying to protect the traitorous _miko_ who had set Sesshoumaru free?

_"Because you aren't yourself,"_ a tiny voice whispered and she felt like crying all of a sudden.

She always got like this in one of her rare lucid moments. It mostly happened here in the privacy of her room. Here, where there were no enemies to fight and the clean power of purification housed in her body was able to push back the dark cloud of twisted hatred that enveloped her most of the time…it was then that she felt her human emotions rushing back. It made her feel maudlin and weak while reassuring her, at the same time, that she was still a human being who could love others.

To love and be loved.

It was also in these moments that she thought about the people she called family. She missed them, really she did, and no matter how much the Darkness swallowed her up she could never bring herself to forget them. Kagome was still there and she only wanted to protect her…

_**"…as long as she doesn't get in your way,"**_ the Darkness finished for her.

Kikyo shivered and drew her cover up closer around her. Yes, she loved them all so very much - Kagome and Souta, her parents, and Rin…sweet Rin. She never had apologized to her for the time she pushed her down and hurt her but Rin had always been the forgiving sort, so she was sure that the girl would still be happy to see her.

_**"If she's still alive,"**_ the Darkness whispered, sounding as if it would be mightily pleased if Rin was dead and buried beneath the rubble that used to be a town outside of the _Daimyo's_ gates. Kikyo frowned and burrowed even further under the covers. She fully intended to investigate the place where her family's home used to be the following day to see if there were still traces of the unknown _miko's_ power. Her day had been spent sifting through the few surviving townspeople, seeing if anyone had seen or heard from her parents and trying to locate the errant _miko_ who had aided in Sesshoumaru's escape as well.

It was an intriguing name that her brother had called the _youkai_ – this Sesshoumaru - and she sometimes found herself whispering it under her breath and visualizing the magnificent beast. Even she had to admit that he was a pretty thing but her admiration was more for the challenge he presented than his physical looks. The _miko_ had _felt_ the vast amount of power housed in his body and anticipated the chance to use her full range of abilities on a _youkai_ for once. The Darkness, on the other hand had felt Sesshoumaru's power and wanted it for itself.

And if there so happened to be a _miko_ hanging around and aiding Sesshoumaru, well, the Darkness had no qualms about consuming her as well.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As usual, please read and review. I'm still tweaking this fic and working out the character's personalities. Hopefully this wasn't too repetitive and boring for you all. Much love to my dear readers.


	11. Accommodations

All I have to say for taking so long is drama, drama, **DRAMA**! I apologize for the delay and I sincerely thank everyone who left me a review and is still reading this fic. Much love to each and every one of you for keeping me going when my life has been miserable these past few months.

I apologize in advance for any mistakes I might have made while typing this.

**Notes:**

_Sanshin_ (literally means "three string") – According to Wikipedia this instrument was the precursor to the ever-famous _shamisen_. From what I understand, it arrived in Japan around the 16th century which, I think is the time period where Inuyasha takes place (500 years ago) then again, Inuyasha has been running for a long time and I'm pretty sure it began in the 90's.

_Ningen-Hime_ – Loosely, Lady Human or Princess Human. You are more likely to see a lady referred to as "_oujyo__"_ than "_hime__"_ but I always think of the yakuza when I hear this (thanks to Gokusen) so I opted to use the latter.

_Keroko__ -_ The Sound effect for a frog is "kero" and I've already explained the meaning of "ko". Hence, the name _Keroko_ is made to suit her character.

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter ****9**

**Accommodations**

Sesshoumaru listened to Rin's rapid steps as she struggled to keep up with his much longer legs. The scent of her annoyance perfumed the air and he took perverse pleasure in knowing that he was returning to her a measure of what she was putting him through. _'Serves her right,'_ he thought to himself, a near-imperceptible smirk touching the corner of his mouth. Contrary to popular belief, the Lord of the Westernlands was not a being without a sense of humor. For example, he took great pleasure in watching his enemies maneuver and plot "behind his back" when he knew, that sooner or later, he was going to kill them all off. _That_ constituted a pleasant thought for him. He was also infinitely amused whenever he went into battle against humans.

Really, they were like insects sometimes, the way they clustered together and made up strategy after strategy in order to beat back the fearsome youkai "invaders". He almost snorted in derision. They were squatting on _his_ land. Their mewling ruler wasn't even a glimmer in his great-great-grandfather's eye when Sesshoumaru hit the age of seventy-five and his world was turned upside down by upheavals inside of his carefully ordered world. Within just a few years, his father had brought that_human _woman to live with them, his wretched half-abomination of a brother was born and his father died fighting for said woman who wouldn't have even lived for very long because of her mortality.

The half-smirk on his lips melted away as quickly as it had come and he silently promised himself that he _would not_ follow in his father's footsteps. The whispered insinuation of just that possibility when his subjects were examining Rin was enough to bring home to him the importance of not letting this…this fixation he had on her to go any further. His odd awareness of her not too long ago was warning enough for him.

He prided himself on his control and his pride was taking far too many blows where she was concerned. Hence, he decided that he needed to assign a new role to her. Since he believed that everything had its place and he kept everyone and everything in his life inside of neat little boxes, he decided that Rin would not possibly fit into exactly the same category as her brother. The way his logic worked, the people conspiring against him were labeled "Tools" on "Sesshoumaru's Scroll" – aka his mental list of what he owned and how he used it. His subjects were labeled "Servants", "Soldiers", and "Pawns" respectively. Souta had been labeled both "Experiment" and "Human Reference Point" and he had thought to transfer those exact labels to Rin but, in light of recent events, he had mentally to scratch her off the "Human Reference Point" list. She was so much unlike her fellow humans as to be in a category all her own.

He continued to turn it over and over in his mind and he was only giving the girl following him half of his attention. Rin, he decided, could retain the label of "Experiment" but he mentally wrote down the heading for a new list as he recalled one of the reasons why he had taken her from the doomed town in the first place – her _Miko_ abilities. Since he wanted to learn more about her kind as well as devise a counter-strategy against them, he decided that first he would need to find someone who could develop her powers enough that he could gain new insights into the workings of a _Miko's_ body. Hence his new list bore the title of "_Miko_ Reference Point" but that still didn't quite describe Rin. There were sub-categories for humans on "Sesshoumaru's Scroll" and she didn't fit on any of those either so he re-examined his own reactions to her in both human and _inu_ form and decided to tentatively pencil her in under "Entertainment". Incidentally, that list also included, eviscerating _youkai_ and burning down human towns.

Satisfied that he had mentally categorized Rin in the proper places for now and thus, could treat her accordingly, he decided to turn his mind towards finding the proper room in his vast castle to put her in so that she would be close but not close enough to be a nuisance.

As if reading his thoughts, Rin spoke up and asked, "Am I staying here?"

Sesshoumaru blinked and realized that he had stopped walking quite some time ago. A sense of foreboding fell over him as he turned his head slowly and stared at the red lacquered door with a golden crescent moon embossed at the top of it. He stared at the door and briefly entertained the thought of kicking it as hard as he could in frustration, but since it was childish and unbecoming of a _taiyoukai_, he resisted the urge. Besides, he knew full well that doing such a thing would not only deprive him of a perfectly good door but said door would most likely fly across his room, tear through his solid, stone wall and embed itself into the wall of the room after that. He'd done such a thing once with Inuyasha's room door after he evicted both him _and_ his troublesome mother from his lands – hence his intimate knowledge about the physics of an angry _taiy__oukai's_ strength paired with a solid sliding door.

For the umpteenth time that day, he cursed both his own _youkai_ senses and Rin. His _youki_ had unerringly led him to his own room – which is where he usually went directly after arriving from a trip – because he hadn't really been paying attention. And _why_ wasn't he paying attention? As usual, it was because he was wasting more brain cells than was wise on thinking about Rin, yet again. And now, he was sufficiently caught between a rock and a hard place.

Dogs would rain from the sky, literally, before he would turn around and march Rin back down the stairs and past his nosey servants, thus admitting by his actions that the great Lord of the Westernlands had allowed his mind to wander and made a mistake.

"You've been really quiet lately, Sesshoumaru-Sama, is something bothering you?" Rin asked and, even though he had his back to her, he could just picture her wrinkling that delicate brow of hers up in concern.

He was oh-so-tempted to reply "You are, now get out of my home and off my property" to her question but he bit his tongue. Instead, his eyes raced over the hall, looking for an empty chamber that he could stick her in. Spying a room about five doors down - his childhood suite which he hadn't lived in for more than a century - he decided that it would do for now.

"So, is this going to be my room or not?" she asked once more, her tone becoming annoyed.

Turning, he briefly took in the faint pout on her shapely lips and said bluntly, "This is my room."

Liquid brown eyes darted from him to the door and back again before widening. Rin took a tiny step back from him and it occurred to him what this would look like to her. She was unusually knowledgeable for her age and, no doubt, she knew that certain _youkai_ had a taste for human women as their concubines. What must it look like for her to be standing before a powerful _youkai_ such as himself who had led her to his personal quarters?

His _youki _didn't help by perking up at the thought of Rin and that intoxicating scent of hers perfuming his room and bed so that he could lay down with that heady smell surrounding him at all times. It was enough to make his male, inner dog lift his head and loll his tongue out in a distinctly lascivious, canine grin.

If he were prone to blushing, he suspected that his cheeks would be bright red – though he couldn't say if it would be out of fury or embarrassment. Whatever the cause, he muttered a barely audible, "Don't flatter yourself, girl," before turning and almost stalking to his old room door.

"This is where you will stay," he said, keeping up his usual monotone and apathetic expression with some effort – yet another thing, that had been unusual until he met Rin.

Rin stepped forward, the edge of her kimono just brushing his wrist and he shivered imperceptibly at the small contact. He was so used to not being touched that even such a slight feathering of cloth on his skin was enough to upset him. This was probably one of the most trying days that he had even been forced to endure and he would make certain that there would be no future repeats.

Thus resolved, he watched in silence as Rin took in her surroundings. A myriad of expressions flickered over her face as she took in the rich furnishings that adorned the room. He had actually been quite proud of his sense of style as he grew up in this room and a tiny part of him was inordinately pleased that she should be in awe of his taste. His father, Touga, had been a wanderer in his youth and for much of his adult life and there were many furnishings adorning his home that were unobtainable anywhere else in _Nippon_.

Touga had obtained low beds, instead of the customary _futon_ used throughout the country, but these beds were of the four-poster variety. The wood of each bed was intricately carved with foreign birds, flowers, and landscapes. His own bed, in the Lords's chamber, was inlaid with a curious white material that was as smooth as silk – his father called it "ivory". He recalled asking his father how the foreigners who had carved it had known to lay down the symbol of his family - a crescent moon hanging above an _inu__youkai_ – in the wood. The former Lord of the Westernlands explained that in the country where he obtained it, the humans had thought him some sort of deity and he had received many strange and unusual furnishing as offerings. This knowledge, of course, had only served to stoke the fires of that young Sesshoumaru's arrogance. For if his kind were considered to be gods elsewhere, should not both weaker humans and youkai bow to him in his own country?

He sometimes wondered what his life would be like if his father hadn't ruined it by bringing that human woman into their home. And of course, the lowly creature had to compound the insult by spawning his half-breed abomination of a brother. His life had been miserable from that point on, but then, he had never been a particularly outgoing person himself. He was always the perfect model of what a _taiyoukai_, who was destined to rule vast amount of land and peoples, should be. Cool, calm, and collected - unfazed by the things that went on around him, he was perfection itself.

Then his father betrayed him and all that the _taiyoukai_ of the West stood for and he had to work even harder to maintain that cool. He had never been an emotional person, even before the advent of Izayoi and his half-brother, Inuyasha. But whereas he had been a cordial, if somewhat distant lord before, he was ice itself now. Cold, unforgiving and blank; it was a persona that had gradually taken over until it was what he truly was. He was rude, manipulative, and quite a few of his subjects, along with most humans, though him to be pure evil.

Sesshoumaru calculated the costs of everything and he took control of whatever situation he happened to be in. He almost never took chances and he tried his hardest to suppress his dirty secret - his hidden curiosity that drove him to do things that even he hardly understood. Things like bringing in a human – the creature that he so despised – not only once but twice. He could rationalize most anything away, but at this moment, as he watched the play of emotions on Rin's face, he couldn't stop the questions from bubbling up.

_'Does she know that her thoughts are always on her face?'_

_'How does she see my room?'_

_'Is it pleasing to her?'_

_'Will it make her _want_ to stay here?'_

This last question took him quite by surprise but he let it rest, unwilling to explore it further. He would not question why he had a vague urge to insure that she didn't want to leave his castle when she had made it abundantly clear that she only stayed with him out of love for her brother.

Rin, he had long ago realized, was not like him. She didn't hide her thoughts and feelings quite as much as he did and she also apparently would not allow their animosity to completely overshadow her manners. After she explored the room, ignoring him for the most part like a bird familiarizing herself with her cage - gilded though it was –she came to a stop before him and bestowed upon him a soft smile that made something deep inside of him twist.

"I never thought that you would put me in such a nice room, Sesshoumaru-Sama," she said in a low voice, those soft brown eyes of hers looking so steadily into his own that he knew she meant it.

"It is merely so that you do not get yourself killed before I tire of you. You seem prone to provoking your betters," he replied in as stern a voice as he could muster.

She did not lose her smile.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-Sama."

Such a simple phrase uttered by those shapely lips of hers, but it was one he was unused to hearing. When he did a favor for someone – usually something like sparing their lives or refraining from tearing out the entrails of everyone in their immediate family – they usually groveled or made sure they stayed out his way. Rarely did they thank him, and when they did, it was always accompanied by either the scent of fear or resentment. Not so with Rin.

Her "thank you" was sincere and the look in her eyes, it was as if he had given her a pleasant if unlooked for gift. Those eyes of her, combined with her quiet words, made that curious "something", hidden away in the deepest corner of his being, twist once again – more strongly this time.

For the first time in his life, Sesshoumaru, _taiyoukai_, lord and master of the Westernlands, broke eye contact first because he couldn't handle what she was making him _feel_. He was ice, he cold, calm, killing perfection – did not his very name mean that?

The _taiyoukai_ focused his gaze on the sliding door across the room, which lead to a bathing chamber - yet another commodity that his father had picked up from overseas.

"I will send someone to help you bathe," he said, trying to break the mood.

"Thank you," she said again.

"You know where my room is, but know that you are unwelcome unless it is the direst of circumstances."

"Of course, and thank you again for warning me," she said softly.

Turning his gaze down towards her once more, he took one look into those soft brown eyes, decided that he had said more than enough, and made his escape.

Fleeing a battle was yet another first for him, but he decided that if he were to fight Rin on the emotional level – in other words, being able to disabuse her of the notion that he was a kind person in any way, shape, or form - he needed better weapons.

What he needed, at the moment, was Jaken.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rin frowned at Sesshoumaru's back as he retreated through the open doors, sliding it closed behind him as if she would stalk after him and pounce while his back was turned.

_"I know I said that I wanted to keep him on his toes, but he acts like he's allergic to gratitude,'_ she thought sourly. However, it was hard to be irritated at him when she took the time to glance around the room he'd given her. It was, in a word, magnificent. The overall theme was blue and white. However, it wasn't just any shade of blue, no, this blue was a deep indigo that matched the crescent adorning Sesshoumaru's forehead.

If asked, she wouldn't have been able to identify half of the objects in the room because they were clearly not from her part of the world, but it was fascinating, nonetheless, to look at the decorations. The bed had four posters and low boards at both the foot and the head that were carved into absolutely gorgeous designs. When she examined it closely, she saw flowers that were quite unlike any that she'd ever seen before and animals that were so strange that she wondered if they weren't really youkai from a different country. The wood itself was a gorgeous red in color with a high gloss to it that wasn't lacquered on.

Rin spent a few minutes lightly running her fingers over the fascinating wood and its beautiful designs before turning her attention to the rest of the room. The walls were covered with massive hangings that sported – on closer inspection – scenes of massive _i__nuyoukai's_ battling all manner of strange creatures and it was done in an equally unusual art style. It was plain to see that whoever had obtained the hanging had been very well traveled because the buildings being demolished in the scenes were vastly different from what she was used to. There was what appeared to be massive castles but these castles had four rounded towers at each corner - much like how the bed had four posters - and walls with large blocks of stone spaced out along its top edge. If she squinted, she could make out a person dressed in an odd metal hat and peering from the gap between two of the blocks. There were men on the grounds below the castle but she could see quite a bit more of them than the man hiding on the wall. It appeared that their entire bodies were covered in metal armor of some sort that looked like it might be even heavier than that worn by the _samurai_ she had seen in town from time to time.

_'It must be heavy to walk around with so much metal on,'_ she thought before looking at the monsters that the _inuyoukai_ was battling. _'If that's what they had to fight, no wonder they were so heavily armed.'_ On this particular tapestry, the monster being fought looked like a giant winged lizard. In fact, it slightly resembled the dragons she had heard spoken of in fables but this monster was thickly muscled and stout rather than the serpentine version she was used to and it was obviously built for destruction.

Her eyes fell upon a village that was obviously on fire and it seemed that another one of those odd "dragons" was responsible, judging by the gout of flame emanating from its mouth. It was a fearsome and barbaric scene presented to her and she quickly moved away. She had never been particularly comfortable with the concept of human death and such obvious scenes of suffering didn't sit well with her, so she opted to move on to the next curiosity. The tapestries, she decided, would have to go at some point in time because, quite frankly, time spent as a homeless orphan had impressed upon her the importance of comfort over style. Besides, just because she was living in a castle full of human-hating youkai, that didn't mean she had to subject herself to it in her private life. Depictions of humans being slaughtered by monsters – whether foreign or not – were not her idea of good decorations, no matter how well rendered they were.

Moving on, she spied a _sanshin_ and plucked at a few of its strings, wondering if Sesshoumaru would mind if she played it. The next item was an interesting vase and just as she reached out to pick it up, the door was thrown open and a high-pitched voice said cheerfully, "Hello, hello Ningen-Hime."

Rin whirled around in just enough time to catch a glimpse of something short, green, and disturbingly similar to Sesshoumaru's hateful pet toad before said creature abruptly let out a squeak of dismay. The thing hastily exited the room with a muttered, "I'm so sorry," that was cut off by the door slamming behind it.

The young woman blinked in surprise and could do nothing more than stare at the closed door in bewilderment, wondering what in the world had just happened. She heard a curious scrabbling noise on the wooden floor outside of the door before the distinct sound of a tiny throat clearing reached her ears and a timid knock sounded.

Now her curiosity was really piqued as to who it could possibly be. She tightened the ties of her kimono and ran her fingers briefly through her hair before calling out in a steady voice, "Come in, please."

A tiny squawk with a definite tone of excitement sounded before the door was opened with more than a little eagerness and the creature made its appearance.

"Ah, forgive me my rudeness, Ningen-Hime," it said with a deep bow before peering up at her earnestly.

Rin blinked once, twice, and then a third time as she took in the creature standing before her. Her earlier observation that it resembled Jaken was spot-on. In fact, if she had to lay down money, she would bet that it was most definitely from the same species of _youkai_. However, as she looked at the tiny toad-like creature she realized that it wasn't an "it" but a "she" rather, judging by the dark pink kimono printed with light pink flowers that tiny _youkai_sported. Then again she also sported tiny dangling flowers on her pointed ears and her dark green hair was pulled back into a bun that rested at the base of her almost non-existent neck. Rin had stifle her amusement as she noted that the creature's lips were painted in pink as well and what little she could see of her eyelids above her massive amber eyes was decorated with some sort of eye-shadow that was also pink.

It was obvious to anyone that this "toad" - or whatever Jaken and the rest of his race were – was very conscious of style and she forced herself not to be rude and laugh because it was obvious that the _youkai_ went through great lengths to be beautiful. What really caught her, though, was the kindness evident in the _youkai's_ eyes - it was a world apart from the blatant contempt Jaken seemed to hold for Rin and the rest of humanity. It simply wouldn't do to call the individual before her nothing more than a female version of Jaken just because she was wasn't pretty from a human standpoint. Besides, even she had to admit that the creature's skin – a very nice shade of green tinged with blue and sporting few bumps– was far more attractive than Jaken's marsh green skin that truly _did_ resemble that of a toad.

The young woman really wasn't the type to judge based on looks alone or to shoehorn an entire race into a few words based on just a few encounters , hence, when she addressed the female _youkai_, she made sure to keep her tone respectful.

"Don't worry about being rude," Rin said with a smile, recalling the toad's earlier apologies.

The _youkai_ gaped at her for a minute before her thin lips tilted up into a return smile and she clapped her hands together.

"Well now," she squeaked, "you are quite a bit different from what I expected, quite different indeed, Ningen-Hime."

Rin winced at the unintentionally rude form of address, "Princess Human" or simply "Human" just didn't sit well with her. Oh, she was sure the _youkai_ meant "Ningen-Hime" to be a respectful title but she hardly needed a reminder that she was a mere human among _youkai_ – some of whom would just as soon kill her as look at her.

She managed to maintain a kind smile as she replied, "You don't necessarily have to call me 'Ningen-Hime' - just Rin should be fine."

"Oh, no, no, no, no, NO, that simply wouldn't do," the _youkai_ squeaked, her eyes going wide as she shook her blue-green head in dismay.

"I can hardly be so disrespectful, to address you as such. You are Sesshoumaru-Sama's guest and I refuse to show you nothing less than the utmost respect."

_'I really, __**really**__ wouldn't call myself Sesshoumaru's guest,'_ Rin thought, a curl of annoyance rising up when she thought of the circumstances surrounding her abduction by the moody _taiyoukai_.

"Well, how about you just call me Rin-San, then?"

The tiny youkai seemed to mull that over in her head for a minute before crossing her slender arms and shaking her head once more, "No, no, it's still isn't good enough."

Rin had to bite her tongue to keep herself from blurting out that it was _her_ name and she had _every right_ to decide how it should or should not be used. Dear _Kami_, what _was_ it with most of the youkai she'd met and their fixation on titles and labels? Then again, some humans were the same way – so she supposed it came with being of the nobility. Curiously enough, she sensed that there was an underlying reason for this particular _youkai's_ insistence that she have a grand title attached to her person.

Since the chatty little thing seemed so bent-set on this particular point and she _had_ been unusually nice to her, Rin took a deep breath and decided to be patient. It was amusing, at least, to watch the miniscule _youkai __- _who barely reached past her knees - as she unconsciously padded around Rin's room while she tried to think of a suitable title for her.

The little creature kept muttering under her breath as she wandered from one end of the room to the other, sometimes shaking her head in the negative and sometimes holding a mini-argument with herself. It occurred to Rin at that point that she still had no idea what the female's name was. She couldn't very well continue to think of her as "the random Toad-_youkai_ who was nice but odd". Besides, she strongly suspected that she would need friends in her current situation so it wouldn't hurt to be on the creature's good side. Besides, good manners dictated that she try to learn her name - it would be hypocritical of her to insist that the _youkai_ use her name if she couldn't even bother to learn hers.

With that in mind, she opened her mouth to ask the female her name only to be cut off when the odd little thing spoke up.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, punctuating it with a loud clap that made Rin jump with its suddenness.

"Yes!" the youkai exclaimed again, "yes, yes, yes," and she punctuated each with a clap of her little hands before whirling around to face Rin.

There was a massive smile on her face that stretched from one pointy ear to the other and Rin almost took a step back as the _youkai_ approached her. Yes, she didn't believe in categorizing entire races but that didn't mean she would let her guard down just because she had finally encountered a _youkai_ who was pleasant. She still hadn't forgotten that odd sense of glee that she had sensed from Sesshoumaru in his canine form…right before he went off to decimate her home town. For all she knew, this female was happy to think of all the different ways to serve up a tender human girl for dinner.

However, determined that no one would ever have cause to call her a coward, Rin stood her ground and refrained from yanking her hand away when the female grabbed it and declared loudly, "Rin-Hime!"

Rin blinked and opened her mouth to say that such a name was hardly fitting for her but the _youkai_ cut her off again.

"Yes, that's it. I've spoken. I'll call you Rin-Hime from now on. I thought about calling you 'Most Exalted Rin' or 'Beautiful Flower Rin' but you don't seem to like such exalted names. Though I don't know why when they're such perfectly lovely titles," she muttered that last part under her breath but Rin heard it anyway.

"But I," the young woman began, "I mean you really don't have to…I mean…I'm not even that important of a guest. In fact, I don't' really count as a guest at all," Rin wanted to kick herself for getting to tongue-tied.

"Nonsense, Rin-Hime, nonsense. You are Sesshoumaru-Sama's guest, else he wouldn't have given you a room in the family's quarters. In fact, this room used to be his about, oh, I'd say a hundred years, give or take a few."

"R…really, I had no idea," she thought, her sharp mind racing over the possible reasons for Sesshoumaru sticking her in this room. He certainly didn't strike her as the sharing or caring type which was why she had been so surprised when he settled her in such a fine room. She could understand him sticking her in the servant's quarters, but in his old room? And in the family's section of the castle, no less? Briefly, her mind flew back to the crazy idea that he wanted her for his concubine when he had walked her to what was obviously the "Lord of the Castle's room", but she dismissed it as quickly as it came. She just couldn't see Sesshoumaru being interested in her _that_ way. Whatever his reasons, she didn't want to be stuck with "Rin-Hime" the entire time she was here and she was determined that it wouldn't be so.

"I'm really just a plain human being, nothing special at all. There's nothing wrong with calling me 'Rin-San' or just plain 'Rin.' In fact, I would prefer it."

The youkai merely stared at her before asking her in a voice that had more than a hint of hurt in it, "You really don't like the name?"

Rin felt like a complete heel so she kindly replied, "Well, no, it's not that but…"

"Would you rather I call you 'That-Ugly-Sesshoumaru-Stealing-Filthy-Human-Wench'?" the youkai quickly interjected.

"Where on earth…," Rin began.

"Because that's what Jaken-Sama called you but after seeing you for myself, I can't agree. You aren't too bad for a human and I like your smile. I simply must tell Jaken-Sama that you're not _that_ ugly so he shouldn't say such things. You'll certainly have to forgive him, Rin-Hime, he isn't so bad and he doesn't always know when to quit. Besides, I just can't say no to his handsome face," the _youkai's_ cheeks actually turned a few shades darker in what could only be a blush.

Rin decided that she would be far more disturbed if she were to find out just how big this female's crush was on that nagging little toad with a Sesshoumaru complex than if she just allowed her to call her Rin-Hime. The thought of _anyone_ liking Jaken in that way was just too weird to fit into her brain at the moment. Therefore, she decided to steer the conversation in a different direction than Jaken.

"Well, I suppose Rin-Hime is fine. I do wonder though, why you decided on that name."

"It's romantic," the _youkai_ said…and the sad thing was that she said it with a completely straight face.

There was a long moment of silence before Rin dared to ask what she meant by that.

"Romantic, you say. I'll admit it's nice, but romantic?"

"We…ellllll," the _youkai_ began and actually batted her large eyes at Rin, "Sesshoumaru brought you here on the back of Ah-Un - I saw that part because I was rushing out to meet my handsome Jaken-Sama - but I didn't hear much else before Sesshoumaru-Sama cleared us out. Then Jaken-Sama called me after speaking to Sesshoumaru-Sama and told me to wait on you. Imagine my surprise when I find out that he had put you in his old room of all places. The whole castle is abuzz with the news. I mean, the young master has always been so standoffish to the opposite sex and he hates humans, no doubt about it, but there were always rumors, you know."

"Rumors?" Rin queried, an odd feeling stealing over her that she was about to learn something very important.

"Oh, yes, especially since he brought that sweet, young human boy back home with him the last time. It was the talk of the entire Westernlands and now he's brought you with him, so don't you dare doubt that the rumors are going the spread even faster or grow ever bigger."

"You still haven't really answered my question about what these rumors are exactly. And I still don't even know your name."

"Oh, yes, yes, sorry 'bout that. My name is Keroko. I apologize, truly I do. I get so caught up in talking and then we go onto other subjects and then I start forgetting why I came in the first place and then…"

Rin held her hands up in surrender, an amused smile playing about her lips as she interrupted what was sure to be yet another tangent. She was honestly starting to like the talkative _youkai_.

"It's alright, I forgive you. I just want to know what rumors might be started by my being here. I heard something interesting upon my arrival but you would know better than I would."

"I yes, I suppose I would. Well, the word about the castle is that Sesshoumaru and taking after his father by bringing you here. That's also why calling you Rin-Hime adds to the romance you see."

"And we're back to the romance thing again. You're talking in circles Keroko-San."

"I, er, yes, sorry. What I mean to say is that there has only been one other time that a human woman was invited to stay in this section of the castle. It's been well over a century now but there are some _youkai _who refuse to let sleeping dogs lie and I fear they'll provoke the young master into a rage. He always was a lot more hot-tempered than his father was, though you wouldn't think it to look at him now."

"You were saying something about a human woman. Who was she and why was she here?"

"Oh, my dear child, didn't anyone tell you? Well, no, I don't suppose they would have, but the human woman who lived here…she was the lover of Sesshoumaru-Sama's father and the mother of his half-brother."

Rin froze in shock as she absorbed that bit of info. _'My, my,'_ she thought, _'there's a whole lot more to Sesshoumaru than I thought.'_ She moved over to sit on the bed and patted the spot next to her in invitation as she said with a smile, "I'm sure you realize that this comes as quite a shock to me but I believe in being prepared. Please, Keroko-San, won't you tell me more about this human woman and the rumors about Sesshoumaru and I."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As usual, please read and review. If you're still reading this then I'm glad you stuck by me. This was a pretty laid back chapter but I wanted the story to be a bit more fleshed out and we get to see Sesshoumaru and his frightening ability to compartmentalize everything around him. Question is: Will Rin **really** fit into the roles he has given her?


	12. Inquiry

Thanks to everyone for being so patient and still reviewing even though I take so long. I know this fic is a bit weird and it's going to get even weirder in this chapter because I took an idea I had and decided to run with it. Thanks for reading this far and supporting me, it means the world to me.

**Many hugs to:**

**Vanilfrappe, Kitsune6, ****AnimeFreak-TrunksPan-Lover4evr, ****Jayde Raine, whitehitsugaya, New Fan, sarah, FoxyFire45, Teela.akimako, LitoxShorty, HawkAngel XD, anhimals**

**Notes:**

**Kana **– If you've ever studied Japanese writing before, these are the characters that you'll learn particularly in regards to "Hiragana" and "Katakana".

**Hanyou **– half-_youkai_ what Inuyasha is.

**More on the residual **_**youki**_** in Sesshoumaru's castle:**

The best comparison I can make with this is to think of it in terms of the human body. I'm not a doctor but I do know that white blood cells are heavily involved in the immune system. Think of Sesshoumaru's territory as the body, with Sesshoumaru as the brain, and the left-over _youki _as the white blood cells which do their best to protect the body and the brain. Hence, his senses are much stronger when he is on his own turf because leftover _inu-youkai youki_ (say that three times fast )is sending him additional info. Rin is a _miko_ which means that her powers make her a foreign object in the body (Sesshy's lands and castle). Does the _youki_ have a mind of its own? Yes and no, Sesshoumaru keeps it under control and as I said before, it's a part of him that brings the emotions and observations to the front that he would rather keep buried. Hope this makes sense to you.

**Side Note:**

I learned an interesting definition today. I've heard the word "nefarious" before and I knew that it was pretty much synonymous with evil but I decided to look up the various meanings for it and wouldn't you know it, I found out that it goes beyond simply evil. Something that is nefarious is not only evil, it is something that goes against divine law. This aptly describes how Jaken feels about Sesshoumaru and Rin getting together in this fic. :3 Of course, he's going to change in a major way during the course of the story but he has a long way to go before you'll like him, if you ever do.

Anyways, I thought this was interesting so I wanted to share it with you all and I apologize ahead of time if I have any typos. I went through the chapter again but I always wind up missing stupid mistakes. ::sigh::

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 10**

**Inquiry**

"I've assigned Keroko to attend the human Sesshoumaru-Sama," Jaken said with a tiny flourish, obviously proud to have been personally invited to Sesshoumaru's room. It was a rare privilege and he had every intention of savoring his one-upmanship on that arrogant little human girl. Of course, it was only in his mind that a rivalry had been established between himself and the girl over which of them was Sesshoumaru-Sama's favorite servant but his pride was still smarting from the way she had mouthed off to him. It stung…it _really_, _truly_, STUNG whenever he thought of the way she had threatened him with Sesshoumaru's displeasure - just who or _what_ did she think she was?

In all honesty, he had fully expected his master to kill the little brat after she had demonstrated her lack of good breeding before the entire _youkai_ court upon their arrival but, noooooo, she was still alive and kicking. The tiny _youkai_ knew quite well that it was absolutely unheard of for anyone to speak or do the things to Sesshoumaru that she had and live to tell the tale. And there had been a brief moment of panic when the _taiyoukai_ summoned him to his chambers and informed him that the girl was staying just down the hall and would require someone to assist her. It was equally unheard of for the frigid _taiyoukai_ to allow a human anywhere near his quarters, even the human male had been firmly ensconced within the servant's quarters during his stay. Jaken, himself, dwelled a few levels down from Sesshoumaru.

It did nothing for his peace of mind to know that Rin had been given a room in the family's private wing of the castle. His paranoia over the whole situation had already caused him to have visions of himself dressed in rags and supporting his starved body with nothing but the _Nintojo_ – the Staff of Two Heads -that had been entrusted to him by Sesshoumaru. He feared, more than anything, being cast aside by his lord in favor of a human. The distinction of being Sesshoumaru-Sama's right hand _youkai_ was not something that he had any desire to lose and it would only add insult to injury if he lost his position to a lowly human woman.

However, there _was_ a bright spot in the entire situation. When his master had commanded his presence he had been fearful of what his _youki _would pick up. Would the girl's scent perfume Sesshoumaru-Sama's quarters? Would he find the two of them sprawled out over that curious bed that the previous lord had brought over from lands far across the sea? Would Sesshoumaru-Sama yank the _Nintojo_ from his grasp and order him to leave because he had made the girl his concubine and she wanted a lowly _youkai_ like himself banished for being so rude to her before? His imagination had run wild with possible scenarios as he approached Sesshoumaru-Sama's door but the moment the door slid open to admit him, he had let out a sigh of relief.

Though the girl's scent was present near the entrance, Sesshoumaru-Sama's room was Rin-free and - judging by the tightness around the corners of Sesshoumaru-Sama's mouth as he spoke - the girl had displeased him somehow. Petty creature that he was, Jaken had secretly rejoiced in that knowledge. His lord was hardly the most patient of people when others began to grate on his nerves - hopefully the fool-girl would get him so angry that he would "dispose" of her and he would have job security once more. It would certainly serve her right if his lord _did_ kill her off, the base creature.

His mind briefly turned to Keroko, whom he had ordered a passing servant to find and send to Rin's room, as per Sesshoumaru-Sama's request. She was such a sweet and fragile flower, far more appealing than that irksome human could ever be, if just a tad bit on the chatty side. The exquisite female was a true credit to their race and he sometimes thought that he wouldn't have minded having her at his side if he hadn't already sworn to serve Sesshoumaru-Sama first and foremost. She certainly knew how to cheer him up and she seemed to be the only one, sometimes, who truly understood his magnificence.

The only real flaws Keroko seemed to have were her tolerance of humans and her fixation on setting up couples. Keroko made it abundantly clear that she found humans to be absolutely fascinating and she always changed the subject when he tried to lecture her on the evils of befriending the members of such an inferior race. Jaken decided that he would have to be careful lest she take a liking to Rin and decide to make good on the nefarious rumors that were already circulating about Sesshoumaru-Sama and his new human pet. He would watch, wait, and do all things for the sake of his lord and master, come what may.

However, such musings were best put aside in favor of the here and now. His master had remained silent after his statement concerning Keroko's new appointment as Rin's personal attendant and Jaken deemed that it wasn't his place to interrupt when his master obviously had much on his mind. True, Sesshoumaru-Sama's facial expression almost never changed but he liked to think that the apathetic look on the _taiyoukai's_ face was his "thinking" look. The corners of his mouth, which had been faintly down-turned upon his arrival, had returned to their usual position during his mental ramblings and his well shaped lips were set in a straight line.

Sensing that he was about to hear something interesting, he shuffled slightly and cleared his throat, never taking his bulging yellow eyes off of his lord as he waited for him to speak.

Silence collected in the corners of the room and Jaken felt an unusual heaviness descending upon his lord before a faint, but unmistakably weary, sigh sounded and the _taiyoukai_ spoke at last.

"Jaken," he began in such a low voice that the little toad had to strain to catch it.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-Sama?"

"What can you tell me of…," there was a near imperceptible pause before he completed his question, "women?"

The tiny _youkai_ froze instantly, wondering if his ears were playing tricks on him. Was the great lord Sesshoumaru-Sama – as in _the_ Sesshoumaru-Sama who avoided the opposite sex like the plague and was, for all intents and purposes, a frigid, asexual killing machine who showed little interest in his duty to court females and produce an heir – actually asking _him_ about women?

_'Well,'_ Jaken thought, puffing out his bony chest, _'well, well, well__,'_ and his chest swelled even more with each successive "well".

_'Could it be that Sesshoumaru-Sama is __**finally**__ tapping into my vast reserves of wisdom?'_ the tiny toad thought, resisting the urge to rub his knuckles together in glee, his earlier insecurities about Rin replacing him melting away in an instant. He had begun to think, after serving Sesshoumaru-Sama for so many years, that the young lord would never consult him for anything. Therefore, it was a more than pleasant surprise for him that Sesshoumaru-Sama had chosen women as the topic to come to him about rather than keeping his own counsel – which is what the _taiyoukai _normally did. Granted, he wasn't the most knowledgeable on the subject because he'd been too busy in his duties towards his own people and then his subsequent induction into the position of Sesshoumaru's retainer to consider settling down with a nice she-toad and having children of his own. However, he _had_ been around for quite a while longer than his young master and he was positive that he could teach the _taiyoukai_ a thing or two about dealing with the fairer sex.

With thoughts of impressing Sesshoumaru with how useful he could be, he cleared his throat and began, "Ah, yes, women. Well, I won't say I'm an expert on the subject but then again…what male can ever fully understand the mind and actions of women?" he chuckled, thinking himself clever but Sesshoumaru merely stared at him with his usual impassive expression and his laughter died a swift death. He had to remember that this was Sesshoumaru-Sama he was speaking to and his lord didn't fall under the same category as other _youkai_ let alone his fellow males.

He coughed a bit and cleared his throat again as if his laughter had been nothing more than a brief fit that needed to be gotten over. As much as he enjoyed having the _taiyoukai's_ undivided attention it was unsettling to have those cold eyes trained on him for any length of time. How someone as emotionally frigid as Sesshoumaru could be so intense was a mystery to him but he decided that he needed to say what needed to be said before his lord tired of him and decided to toss him out on his rear.

"Well, to continue, Sesshoumaru-Sama, women can be very fickle creatures, especially human women. They are ruled by their emotions and they seem to constantly suffer from the need to talk about anything and everything. A youkai woman is fine but you must always remember that some are just as like likely to sink their claws into your back the moment you take your eyes off of them as any male would. No creature is more clever or conniving than a woman, again, this is especially the case in human women," now this last part Jaken wasn't even sure of himself since he avoided humans like the plague they were, but he wasn't about to over look the opportunity to sabotage any designs that devious human girl might have on his lord.

He was pleased to see that Sesshoumaru-Sama had tilted his head to the side slightly, an indication that he was thinking on what had been said – it had taken Jaken five years to figure that little habit of his lord's out. The _youkai_ waited until his lord gave him a curt nod before continuing.

"So this would then lead us to the question of you finding a wife…" Jaken cut off what he was about to say when he spied the narrowing of his lord's eyes. _'Okay,'_ he thought nervously, _'that's not a safe subject.'_ He was somewhat disappointed that he wouldn't get to expound upon the virtues of choosing a _youkai_ over a human and a subsequent list of potential candidates but he was wise enough to know that this subject was taboo as far as Sesshoumaru-Sama was concerned.

"Yes, then, er…" he stumbled over his words, trying to find something else to talk about but the taiyoukai was apparently satisfied with what he had learned and spoke at last.

"Enough Jaken. Leave me."

"Ah , but…" he still had more to say and if he could steer Sesshoumaru away from the disaster he was creating with Rin, why, that was all the better. However, his lord had had quite enough and Jaken noticed a faint green glow that appeared around his right hand when he didn't move his bony behind fast enough.

"Right, I…I'll be leaving Sesshoumaru-Sama," Jaken squeaked as he all but ran backwards, bowing profusely the entire time. His behind met the closed door with a painful thump and he turned, scrambling to open the door and slip out into the safety of the hallway.

Once outside, he let out a sigh of relief and adjusted his grip on the _Nintojo_, more than a little happy to be away from his master. Sometimes, he really did wonder about his lord. It was just so odd for him to avoid women the way he did when he was well aware that most other healthy, young, male _youkai_ his age were freely sowing their wild seeds. He didn't believe that his master was attracted to men or anything but he had to wonder why it was that his lord had begun to show interest in females only when the human girl came into the picture. It was a distasteful thought, but maybe the girl was a necessary evil to get his young master thinking the way a lord should. This war they were waging against the humans didn't seem to be ending any time soon and he found himself worrying, especially after Sesshoumaru's capture, that his master would get himself killed before an heir could be produced.

It was almost enough for him to wonder if it would _really_ be so bad if his lord chose the human girl if she interested him so much. Of course, sanity set in and he quickly banished any such thoughts. He would let wild wolves tear him apart before he sat around and allowed that arrogant human girl to put her grubby mitts on Sesshoumaru-Sama. However, if he looked at it from a different angle, he could see where he might be able to use Rin to steer his lord in the proper direction and get rid of her in one go. It would of course require the assistance of Keroko but he foresaw no problems there. She was nothing if not a loyal subject to him and he had no doubt that she would easily work her way into the human's good graces. If Rin took the female into her confidence, he was positive that he would have no trouble convincing Keroko to report to him on Rin's activities.

A smug smile formed on his thin lips and he mentally congratulated himself for being so clever. Though his disliked humans, and Rin in particular, he had no qualms about using them as a means to an end. In his mind the end justified the means and he was certain that Sesshoumaru would thank him someday for his efforts – well, as far as his lord ever thanked anyone, anyways.

He chuckled to himself as he made he made his way downstairs to the kitchens to get something eat as well as to send someone to retrieve Keroko. He refused to go anywhere near the room that Rin was staying in no matter who it had belonged to before.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kagome stared hard at the words written on the paper before her. Normally her writing was nice and neat with a little extra in the way of swirls wherever she could fit them in. Sometimes she would write the entire set of kana and play around with making her characters bend and twirl in different ways. If she got really bored, her writing had a nasty tendency to turn the page in front of her into a product that was more artistic expression then it was legible.

However, now wasn't one of those times. Stress and boredom were two separate animals and she was most definitely stressed rather than suffering from inactivity. Watching the blossoming animosity between her brother and sister was stressing her out. Wondering where her parents were was stressing her out. Wondering if Rin was safe with that terrifying _youkai_ was seriously stressing her out. There were a multitude of things that kept her from sleeping and had her hands shaking as she wrote characters out on the crisp sheet of paper, but the thing that weighted the heaviest on her was her memories.

Kagome had a secret.

Kagome's secret sported shaggy, but soft, silver hair that flowed down his back and golden eyes that were frightening yet beautiful. Her secret came dressed in red and had a mouth that sported fangs and could be foul or kind depending on his mood. For a certainty her secret had some of the softest lips in all creation even though she had only sampled them once and the memory did nothing except remind her of how she had betrayed him.

Kagome's secret had loved her. He was recalcitrant and stubborn to the point of childishness sometimes. He was grumpy and smart-mouthed and a braggart who could back up what he said only about half of the time. But he was gentle with her. He would act as if he were ignoring her but then she would trip over her own feet and then he would be there, clawed fingers grasping her all-too-human hand while his strong arm wrapped itself around his waist.

_"Feh,"_ he would say, _"you silly humans are so clumsy. Can't you even watch where you're going?"_

The smile that touched her mouth at the memory was brief and she stared at the hand griping the brush so tightly that she could hear the wood cracking. In her mind, the longer she stared at the wood the more if began to resemble the shaft of an arrow the shaking in her hands grew word. For one second, she took a trip down memory lane and remembered the scent of rain and the lightening as it streaked overhead…and she felt it as if were only yesterday.

She remembered the feeling of taking an arrow in hand as they shared their first and last kiss and the jarring impact it had as she drove it into his chest. The young _miko_ knew then why it was that arrows were meant to be shot from a bow instead of used in close combat. Using them from a distance meant that you didn't have to push it in so hard that there was no mistaking that you were deliberately trying to hurt another living thing, _hanyou_ or not. It also meant that you didn't have to push it in with increasing force, drilling out a path through muscle and getting your hands bloody until there was that one moment when it slid in easily and made a faint "thunk" once it emerged from the other side and embedded itself into the wood.

Shooting the arrow from far away would have meant that she wouldn't have to feel his claws as he shoved her away from her and scrabbled at the arrow, trying to tear it out before he realized that it was hopeless. Sealing him away the way she had meant that had to watch in horrified fascination as his eyes glared at her with hurt and betrayal before they slowly closed due to the nature of her blessed arrow. It might not have been so bad if he had cursed and sworn at her, making threat on her life for doing what she had but he hadn't. No, he merely glared at her until he could no longer keep his eyes open and he drifted off into his force sleep.

His accusing stare still haunted her to this day and when she had time to herself, like now, it came back to her with a vengeance. Even if she did it to protect him, she had still been wrong and there was no telling what he would do to her if she went back now and broke the seal she had placed on him.

Kagome let out a sigh and laid her brush down on the paper. The moment she saw Sesshoumaru, her past had reared its ugly head and it had been a struggle to make herself move and aid Kikyou in his capture. They had most definitely caught him by surprise and if it had been any other _miko_ with her besides Kikyou, she highly doubted that they would have lived to see another day let alone captured him. Still, there had been a moment when they first caught sight of him that she had frozen completely and could do no more than stare and it had nothing to do with how beautiful he was. Her wits had deserted her the moment she saw him with his long, shining silver hair that reminded her of _Him. _ And when he glared at her and her sister, she had wanted to faint at the shock of seeing such familiar golden eyes set in his face. There was no doubt in her mind that Sesshoumaru was the hated half-brother that her beloved had spoken of on more than a few occasions.

It felt as if she were betraying him all over again.

The young _miko_ shivered and pushed herself away from the table before rising. It felt as if her sins were coming full circle and, not for the first time, she wished that she had never become a _miko_ and left her family behind. After all, hadn't it been she who had persistently urged Kikyo to come with her to the capital so that they could follow in the tradition of the Higurashi family and become priestesses? If she hadn't insisted on Kikyou coming, none of this would have happened. The head monks and _miko_ wouldn't have noticed just how strong her older sister was which meant that they wouldn't have used her in their experiment. Her sister wouldn't be teetering on the edge of insanity because of that _thing_ they'd embedded in her body and she wouldn't have to feel the pain of knowing that she'd betrayed the only man she loved because she wanted to protect him from Kikyou.

She truly didn't believe that her heart could take much more pummeling. Souta was being treated like a criminal and she couldn't even defend him openly lest her past actions come to light. This was a war they were in and few people would be willing to overlook the fact that she had consorted with someone who had even a drop of _youkai_ blood running through their veins. It also didn't help that her _hanyou_ lover was very likely the half-brother of the great Sesshoumaru who was, in turn, their most formidable enemy in this accursed war. The fact that rumors were flying about that he had escaped their clutches with the aid of a rogue _miko_ didn't help matters and it wouldn't be long before Rin was factored into the equation.

It felt as if a trap were closing in on her as she made her unsteady way to her futon. She slowly sank down to her knees and offered up a silent prayer to Kami-Sama that things would work out before the tears began to flow.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rin let out a sigh and rubbed her temples. Though she liked Keroko, she could have done without the additional hour of prattling that the female had put her through. What seemed like a good opportunity to get info about Sesshoumaru and his family had turned out to be a dead end. Keroko, she discovered, had a nasty habit of relating a story as if she had actually been there. At first, Rin had thought that she was actually a servant of the castle who had come in contact with Sesshoumaru's father but the more she questioned the little toad, the more she realized that Keroko had come to the castle _after_ Sesshoumaru came into power. It had taken a fair bit of conversational manipulation to tamp down the Keroko's enthusiasm at relating how she had left her people to follow after the ever-so-dashing Jaken-Sama. She also had to fight back her laughter whenever she saw Keroko getting moon-eyed over a bad-tempered, dried-up old toad like Jaken.

Whatever the case - after ascertaining that she wasn't going to get much more info out of Keroko except for the fact that Sesshoumaru had a half-human brother and that his father had been killed defending his human lover - she decided that she needed to do a bit of investigating on her own. This, of course, meant that she needed to get away from Keroko for a while, so she had sent her on an errand to find something to eat and a change of clothes. Rin wasn't foolish enough to let the little _youkai_ travel with her wherever she went because she simply didn't trust anyone in Sesshoumaru's castle. Not only that, but the maid had been personally chosen by Jaken which made Keroko's credentials dubious – even though Rin highly doubted that the good-natured female would intentionally harm her.

To put it simply, Keroko was too nosey for her own good and the young woman had no desire to be shackled to her for the duration of her stay here in her new "master's" castle. Just the thought of how the taiyoukai relegated her to a mere _thing_ really annoyed her. He was too calm, too controlled, and too certain that she would do what he wanted her to do. But she was feeling rebellious and the scent of freedom was in her nostrils. Oh, she would be cautious alright, but she had no intention of leaving him to his own devices. He thought he could snatch her away to Kami-knows-where and stick wherever he pleased, making her his newest human pet since it was abundantly clear to her that _that_ was exactly how he viewed Souta-Nii. However, Rin was not Souta and she had every intention of making sure there wasn't a speck of doubt on that score in Sesshoumaru's narrow mind before she made her escape.

_'Really, he doesn't honestly believe that I'll just sit here without finding out how the rest of my family is doing, does he?'_ she thought to herself.

She knew that to get away from Sesshoumaru's castle would require careful planning and a clear idea of her exact location. They had been travelling for quite some time on the back of that curious two-headed dragon of his and, if she had to guess, she would say that it would take a day or two to get back to the town or whatever was left of it. Of course, her estimate meant nothing if she didn't have a mount. If she couldn't find an animal to ride, then her travel time could easily extend into a week or more which meant that she would have to find something to keep Sesshoumaru busy.

Then too, there was the threat hanging over Souta's head. There was no telling what would happen to her brother if she escaped after the _taiyoukai_ had made it very clear that her life was his in exchange for letting Souta live. How could she possibly get away, knowing that Sesshoumaru might go after her brother to make him pay? She could leave and then come back but, from what she could tell, very little got past the young lord – well, not so young since she gathered from Keroko's words that he was very nearly two centuries old. He might have been stuck-up but no one could ever accuse him of being stupid, though she still wondered what the deal was between him and that Kuroko woman. Why he tolerated someone as contentious as _that_ particular female was beyond her.

_'I think that what I need, is to understand him and the rest of his people,'_ she decided. Naturally, the thought of willingly associating with _youkai_ made her nervous but some things just had to be done for the sake of the greater good.

Rin took a deep breath and walked over to her door, sliding it open quietly and peering out the corridor. There wasn't a soul in sight and she grinned.

"Perfect," she muttered quietly before slipping out of her room and backtracking in the direction that Sesshoumaru had taken her when he first brought her up. She took care to be extra quiet as she passed Sesshoumaru's room and she was mightily pleased with herself when his door stayed closed, giving testament to her stealth. She didn't relax until she was half-way down the first set of stairs and facing a corridor that went in two directions. Peering each way, she opted to take the left which was an unfamiliar corridor and decided that her first goal on this reconnaissance mission was to find out if Sesshoumaru's castle was equipped with stables. Rin was completely unaware of that she was being followed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_**'She's left her room,'**_ his _youki_ informed him succinctly. Even if he hadn't heard her door open, thanks to his keen sense of hearing, the residual _youki_ housed in his castle was inordinately attracted to her and it was as if he had "eyes" all over his domain, with the majority of them looking in on her. Her body had rejected the _youki_ when it attempted to assimilate her into its network so it more or less tagged her as something of interest and kept close tabs on her. There were few places in the castle that she could go without him knowing exactly where she was, who she was with and , with a fair bit of concentration, what was being said - even if he was on the other side of the building.

His sharpened senses were a double-edged sword, though. In theory, he could utilize the power embedded in his lands to extend his five senses far beyond that of any human or youkai, but sorting through the resulting backwash of information would not only take a large amount of time but it would likely be draining on him as well. To accomplish such a feat, he would have to know exactly who or what he was looking for in order to strain out the excess sensory feedback and he would also need to be in a place that was free from distraction. Properly harnessing the leftover power of the _inu-youkai_ of old would mean allowing his body to act as a conduit by which it could flow and be directed where needed. He was confident of many things but he wasn't foolish enough to attempt such a connection just to see if it could be done – the very attempt might have destroyed him.

Therefore, he contented himself with allowing his _youki_ to feed him bits and pieces of the conversation that Rin was holding with that curious servant who had tagged along with Jaken. He kept one ear on Jaken, who was stumbling over the ins and outs of women – summarily making him regret that he had ever asked the ever-bumbling Jaken about such a complicated subject. His other ear, he kept on Rin, though hearing most of what she said required that he devote half of his concentration to draw upon the _youki_ gathered in her room. That _youki_ brought him the majority of the conversation in the other room via a series of finely interwoven knots of _youki_ that his ancestors had painstakingly laid down all over his castle and lands and fed from their own stores of power. It was crafted by _taiyoukai_ for _taiyoukai_ but its use was generally limited to the castle because of the danger presented by drawing on it too much.

It was a useful network to have but the greater the distance he was trying the reach the more overwhelming the information was that he received from the leftover _youki_ and the greater the strain on his body became. Also, the more space between him and his objective, the greater the time disparity between what was being said and what he was hearing. In other words, at the distance he was from Rin, what he was hearing at the time was actually what she had said a second or so before.

After dismissing Jaken because he had no desire to weigh himself down with a wife and he certainly didn't appreciate his retainer bringing it up, the _taiyoukai_ had been able to fully devote himself to listening in on the words being exchanged a few doors down. Since it _was_ his castle, he refused to think of it as eavesdropping and his certainty that he was well within his rights to spy on Rin was reinforced by the fact that he didn't trust her and she didn't trust him. Any remorse that might have been present, if infinitesimally, had summarily been banished when he _really_ paid attention to what was being said and realized that the two chatty females were talking about his father.

His sire, Touga, was a touchy subject on even the best of days and he had to fight the urge to make his way to Rin's new room and silence the noisy she-toad before she told the human girl too much. Having a human whore was not an uncommon practice, but being gauche enough to fight on her behalf and actually _die_ in the process had left a black mark on the _inu-youkai_ clan. And he didn't even want to think of the half-bred embarrassment that was his half-brother. His composure had been badly shaken the day his father died and all the sordid details of his death came to light. _Youkai_, especially his fellow nobility, had very long memories and he had fought long and hard to make it clear that he never had been and never would be his father. He was already considered to be a joke and a shame on account of his father's ignoble death and he didn't need the complications that might arise because his servants couldn't keep their mouths shut around a mere human girl.

He had brought Souta in to learn more about human culture and Rin was in his possession to serve as a potential weapon and a means to draw his enemies out of hiding - nothing more and nothing less. The problem, though, was with Rin herself. Her nature was unique and while he doubted that she would despise him just because she knew something about his father's disgraceful story, there was danger from another angle. Rin, clever Rin, would likely start to believe that he could be manipulated as his father had been and she had already shown herself to be adept at adapting to whatever circumstance came her way.

What if she fell in love with him?

His father had claimed to be in love, but Sesshoumaru didn't believe in any such thing. Love was a human emotion that either served as a way to get a woman into bed or made a fool out of the wisest of men. He had seen firsthand what so-called love did to his father and he wanted no part of it. He didn't need it.

No, he certainly didn't want Rin getting any ideas on that score and he had every intention of getting her to hate him if he couldn't make her fear him. Maybe then he wouldn't have to worry about his cold heart beating faster whenever she was around or feel that uncomfortable tug when she looked at him and seemed to touch the very core of him with her warm eyes. Just knowing that no one had ever looked at him the way she had in his many years of existence was enough to twist his insides into knots and expose a vulnerability that he found appalling.

It was for this reason that he told himself that he merely wanted to learn more about her. Since Jaken had proven to be of little use, he reasoned that he should take steps to arm himself accordingly the next time they clashed, which was why he waited until he heard her pad past his room and down the stairs before he followed her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

This should be it for background story for now, sorry the past few chappies have seemed like filler, that wasn't my intent. I just hate stopping in the middle of a story to throw in a bunch of explanations and I feel it's best to get them out of the way as soon as possible so that you aren't scratching you heads and going "huh?!". I apologize because Iknow they were probably a bit on the boring side. However, most of my extraneous stuff/explanations are done for now and I can make this story progress to the good stuff ::coughcoughmoreSess/Rincoughcough:: XD

If you have a question about the weirdness or enjoyed this update, please read and review. Huggles.


	13. Curiosity

Sorry for the long wait my dears. All I can say is my family is going through some stuff right now and I apologize for not getting this out faster.

_Nekomata_ – cat _youkai_ of legend who had two tails, this is what Kirara is.

_youkai taijiya_ – _youkai_ exterminator; what Sango is.

**Note:** Rin does not have Multiple Personality Disorder; she just has a very vivid imagination. Also, Rin has her own share of problems (you know I just can't leave her alone) and remember that even if she seems happy most of the time, she's still human and still young enough that even she doesn't fully understand herself. Also, she is a sweet person, so even though she generally knows what she wants and is a pretty strong young lady, she isn't particularly violent. I am not being inconsistent with her personality, I'm just showing her facets because, let's face it, Rin-chan is a gem. ; )

My question to you as my readers is this: If you accidentally hurt or killed someone, how would you feel? Also, what happens when a girl who doesn't know much about her powers receives a rude awakening as to what they can _really_ do?

This story is going to start getting even more complicated by the end of this chapter which is why it's a bit shorter. Also, Hiten makes an appearance and it might seem like I've cast him in a bully role like I did in "Thread Bound" but he won't stay that way forever. What can I say; he's one of my favorite, non-main characters in the anime/manga.

Anyways on to the thanks. Thanks to:

**Hakudoshi and Kanna Forever****, ****Racora Lurith Swan****, New Fan, ****FoxyFire45****, ****whitehitsugaya****, ****vanilfrappe****, AnimeFreak-TrunksPan-Lover4evr, ****Jayde Raine****, ****Krazi3-AnimeLover****, ****Hoshina Myi.****, keleos, ****fluffycrush****, ****HawkAngel XD****, ****anhimals**

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 11**

**Curiosity**

Rin paused in the middle of yet another corridor that split in two and wondered if it might be prudent to rethink her destination. Should she continue to look for the stables, if this castle - which she was honestly starting to think of a massive monument to Sesshoumaru and his power - even had any? Or, should she go for broke and try to find the actual exit?

_'Decisions, decisions,'_ she thought, nibbling lightly on her lip. She swung her head from side to side, trying to figure out which way would be better and ignoring the few servants who walked past her and either shook their heads or muttered under their breaths about humans who thought they could just walk in and own the place. Had she been a mean person, she would have been sorely tempted to stomp on someone's toes just so that they could direct their insults towards her instead of whining about her presence like she wasn't standing right there smack dab in the middle of the hall. However, neither her real nor her adopted parents had raised her like that, so she smiled graciously at everyone she saw and stood up straight like the well-mannered, young lady she was.

_'Though, somehow, I doubt Sesshoumaru thinks that I even qualify as a woman, let alone a lady. I'm probably more like the insect he's squashed under his boot which refuses to come off.'_ She had a most un-ladylike vision then of herself as a cockroach hitching a ride on the bottom of the cold taiyoukai's footwear and clinging on for dear life every time he tried to shake her off. She actually snorted in amusement, turning the image over in her head before chortling out loud and garnering even more dirty looks.

However, her amusement died away as an unexpected and unwanted vision of him staring at her in the courtyard like he wanted to eat her alive rose up. If she wasn't careful, who knew what would happen. It had already been scary enough when he took her to his room – whether it was by accident or design she wasn't sure – and she would do well not to forget that she was currently ensconced in a room that was only a few doors down from his.

If she were honest, her driving need to explore Sesshoumaru's castle was the result of her equally driving desire get away from Sesshoumaru himself and his distracting animosity towards her. Since he wasn't direct in his thoughts or feelings, she would have to take the indirect route to learn more about him, his people, and the events that occurred over a century ago with his family. Whatever had happened between Sesshoumaru's father and his human woman apparently had a great deal to do with why the _taiyoukai_ acted the way he did and she intended to get to bottom of it. She didn't think she could tolerate him for very long if she didn't find some means to explain away his infuriating personality.

So, she stood there in the middle of the hall, bit her lip lightly, and contemplated where to go. Of course, it was entirely possible for her to ask one of the servants about the layout of the castle but she had begun to run out of quite a bit of her patience some time ago. Rin didn't feel like speaking to anyone who tolerated her only because Sesshoumaru-Stick-Up-His-Narrow-Behind-Sama had gotten it into his head to bring her home. Keroko was nice but the rest of the _youkai_ had yet to demonstrate their willingness to _at least_ get to know her.

_'Well, I guess one direction is as good as any other,'_ she thought with a sigh before turning right.

She wandered like this for about ten minutes, trying to map her way through the castle and failing miserably because of the ridiculous number of twists and turns. Her patience had long since hit rock-bottom and she was sorely tempted to grab one of the obviously expensive urns decorating the sides of the corridor and heave it through one of the openings that served as a window. The resolution she had made to act like a lady had long since shriveled up and died because no matter where she went, the servants were eyeballing her and muttering behind her back.

For all her bravery and courteousness out in the courtyard earlier, she was still a temperamental sort of person and her frustration with her situation kept mounting higher and higher. She didn't know if Souta-Nii was alright. She didn't know what had become of her adopted family. The _youkai_ around her treated her like trash and it reminded her, uncomfortably, of her life as a poor orphan who was mercilessly teased and beaten just for existing. Just because she didn't have what every other child had – a mother and father – the men in the village would chase her away or beat her when she tried to fish for food.

It was almost enough to make her cry but she stubbornly refused to even entertain the thought of breaking down. _'Control yourself, Rin,'_ she told herself sternly, balling up her fists and holding them to her sides while she got herself together.

She had just gotten her breathing under control when a voice broke into her thoughts, "My, my, my, what have we here? A tasty little human girl and no _taiyoukai_ in sight to save her?"

Rin froze then forced herself to relax as she turned to look at the speaker. She had expected him to be one of the ugly, weaker _youkai_ – like Jaken – who seemed to thrive on bullying but what met her eyes was something else entirely.

The creature standing before her was nothing short of gorgeous. His hair was so black that even light didn't reflect off of it and it curled over his shoulder in a long braid that she guessed would reach down to his waist normally. He was dressed in armor with a light blue sash that crisscrossed his breast and wrapped around his hips, emphasizing how lean he was. There was an odd spear strapped to his back with a long blade that reminded her of a lightning bolt and she had to blink because hovering next to his feet where wheels. Despite his…interesting appearance, though, what really caught her was his eyes, which where the color of rubies.

_'Or blood,'_ she thought to her self,_ 'Why do all of the good-looking youkai have to have such strange eye colors?'_ She briefly thought back to Sesshoumaru's golden eyes. They were beautiful, there was no denying it, but disconcerting nonetheless to stare into for long periods of time. It was the same with this youkai standing in front of her and she didn't much care for the decidedly mean slant to his eyes.

However, despite his unsettling remarks of a few moments ago, she mustered up as courteous a smile as she could manage and said as kindly as she could, "Have we met before?"

He smirked and said in that infuriatingly superior tone that all _youkai_ got when speaking to her, "Only from afar but there's no need for you to know who I am because you won't be alive for much longer. But don't worry, I have every intention of savoring your flesh so at least you _know_ you won't go to waste."

Now, in general Rin tried to be as good a girl as possible and it wasn't very hard because she truly was a very good person with a kind heart. But, she sometimes swore to herself that there were two sides to her personality with distinct traits. She had done her very best to keep Patient Rin in the forefront. Patient Rin was the side of her that put up with most anything - bending where need be but never breaking and easily forgiving and forgetting. Rin pictured her self-control as a demure version of herself who did nothing but sit quietly in her mental _tatami_ room, sipping tea like the lady she was and letting the warmth of the brew soothe her temper. Patient Rin had been in control for the past six years and had endured the strict training of the head of the Higurashi household. Unfortunately, from the moment she got involved with Sesshoumaru, it seemed as if Patient Rin had been tied down and whipped mercilessly until she could barely stand let alone indulge her fetish for tea.

Unfortunately for the _youkai_ in front of her, she could just picture Patient Rin sitting pretty and sipping the very last bit of her tea before pausing to turn the cup over and tap the bottom to see if she had missed any drops. Realizing that the fix for her addiction had run out, she clearly saw her patient self stand and go frantically through her pots to see if she had any tea left because she knew quite well that in a matter of moments she would undergo a transformation. Patient Rin was all fine and good as long as she got her fix, but without her tea, she went into withdrawal the way an opium addict did when his drug ran out. Withdrawal meant that Patient Rin's personality was subsumed by Angry Rin and the appearance of Angry Rin meant that someone was going to get his or her head bitten off.

Now she had been fighting ever so hard to keep Angry Rin suppressed but Patient Rin had been going through her stash of tea like water lately because a certain _taiyoukai_ was stressing her out. Still, Rin kept her cool because her brother's life was in the palm of Sesshoumaru's clawed hand. That simply wasn't the case with any of the other _youkai_ who looked down on her and treated her like dirt. Hence, the more she thought about it, the more Angry Rin realized in her devious little mind that she wasn't obligated to maintain good manners as far as the rest of Sesshoumaru's people were concerned. They certainly weren't the ones holding her brother over her head and they would definitely jump at any opportunity to take her life. Oh, Keroko was nice enough and so she treated the tiny _youkai_ accordingly but the constant put downs from the others made her feel like an idiot for even trying to get along.

As she stared into the red eyes of the creature threatening her it occurred to her that she had been treating the _youkai_ around her as she would her fellow humans. Among humans, you were expected to be polite no matter how much you might itch to scratch out Lord or Lady So-And-So's eyes. However, so far, the only people who seemed to garner respect among the youkai were strong ones, like Sesshoumaru or that Kuroko woman, who refused to suffer foolishness from anyone. In fact, her sharp mind recalled very clearly that only after she had put her foot down did Sesshoumaru actually agree to use her given name instead of "human". The only problem with her theory was that she would need to figure out just how far she could go before her boldness got her killed. But, since she could technically die at any time between Sesshoumaru's threats and the sheer amount of hatred so many of his subjects held for her kind, she figured she would just have to take a few chances.

So, the question was: Should she just stand here and take the nonsense this arrogant youkai was spouting or should she do something about it and take things from there?

Rin chose to do something about it and handed over the reins to Angry Rin.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sango had never been a particularly patient person. It had been that way from the moment she was born - a full two months early - to her first steps at ten months when most of the other children in the village could barely crawl. She had even progressed far beyond anyone else her age, achieving the title of Full-Fledged Exterminator at the tender age of twelve which was unheard of – the previous record for youngest had been set by her great-grandfather at the age of fourteen.

Hence, when word reached her village that Hanazawa – the Daimyo's town - had been destroyed, all _youkai taijiya _– the only independent group of _youkai_ exterminators that were neither priests nor _miko_ – had been gearing up. She herself had been ready and rearing to go for the past five hours ever since Shinji had come back from the neighboring village with the fateful news. From what she understood, the _youkai_ who was responsible was a _taiyoukai_ - the kind that were so powerful and so rare that their existence would have been dismissed as mere legend if her country hadn't been fighting one in particular for years now. The word was that the infamous Sesshoumaru was the creature who had singlehandedly slaughtered the inhabitants of Hanazawa and left the Daimyo alive as a warning.

The village elders were in the process of discussing amongst themselves whether or not to mobilize and attempt to bring the monster to justice once and for all. Every man, woman, and child had lost someone they loved in this ongoing war and she, along with everyone else, was sick and tired of it. No one seemed to know the full details about how and why the strife between humans and _youkai_ had begun but the general consensus was that Sesshoumaru – who made no secret of his hatred for any and everything human – had started it.

_'Well,'_ she thought grimly, _'I intend to end it.'_ A plan had been forming in her mind ever since she'd realized that this war wasn't going to end any time soon. It was risky, but she never had been and never would be afraid to take chances, especially when it meant that she could put an end to the endless fighting between humans and _youkai_. Though, honestly, if she had her way, all of the destructive beasts would be gone and dead with the exception of Kirara.

Speaking of the _nekomata_, she looked around her room to see where her closest companion was and espied her napping in the late afternoon sun on the ledge of her window. Her eyes lovingly slid over the tiny _youkai_ and she gave a low whistle to wake her up. The little cat took her time climbing to her feet before sinking her razor sharp hind-claws into the wood and stretching her front paws out so that she could arch her back. Her pale, gold fur flickered with barely discernable orange highlights when the light from the sun hit her just right – belying her affiliation with the fire element - and the contrast between her gold fur and the black stripes adorning her body was striking to say the least. The tiny _nekomata_ leaned forward and shook out the thick fluff around her neck before looking at her mistress with orange eyes and tilting her head to the side as if to say, "Oh, you wanted me for something?"

Of course, Sango knew that nothing could get past her little friend and she smiled slightly as she walked over and gently stroked her hair. Kirara was very loyal to her but the young _taijiya_ knew quite well that the _youkai _had a mind of her own and generally didn't allow herself to be rushed unless it was something important.

The _nekomata_ slid her eyes half-closed and rubbed her head against Sango's palm before maneuvering her body under her hand and making her stroke her entire back until her two tails flicked lightly over her mistress's wrist. A low purr sounded from the _neko's_ chest and the young woman decided to breach the subject of a foray into Hanazawa while her friend was in such an obviously good mood.

"So, Kirara," she began and two eyes peered lazily up at her, "what would you say to us taking a trip to Hanazawa?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sesshoumaru had been tailing her silently, using his sensitive nose to track her scent as she wandered the labyrinthine halls of his castle and ignoring the servants who scattered before him like so many leaves in the wind. He had to admit that he was more than a little curious about how she would interact with his subjects without him around. She was such an uncouth little thing and he was certain that she was liable to get herself in trouble for not controlling her tongue.

He let out an imperceptible sigh and wondered what she thought of his home, not that it was important. His castle was opulent to say the least and he highly doubted that she had ever been in a building that was half as magnificent as his. The grandeur of his castle was not something he normally thought about because he'd grown up around it but as he trudged along after the girl, he found himself actually _wanting _her to admire his home. He wanted her to look around and be awed by the evidence of his family's power since she apparently wasn't too impressed by him.

_'Let her see and understand her position here,'_ he thought to himself.

**_'And maybe she'll want to stay forever,'_** his youki murmured softly, but he ignored it. He had no intention of keeping her alive forever – even if it _were_ possible - no matter how fascinated he was with her. He'd only known her for a night and a day and, yet, he was already fixated on her and wondering what she would do or say next. His curiosity was roused whenever he was in her presence and he had no rest from the incessant questions his mind came up with about her.

For one of the few times in his life, the stern and controlling _taiyoukai_ of the West felt a headache coming to rest behind his perfect brow. He resisted the urge to rub his temples and focused instead on following Rin, whose footsteps had ceased to sound in the increasingly empty halls. He paused as well and took the opportunity to breathe more deeply of her unique scent, which perfumed the air wherever she roamed.

Her earthy scent was still just as intoxicating as ever but there was a spicy taste to it when he opened his mouth to let it slide over his tongue that hadn't been present a few minutes before. He could tell from the flavor that she was annoyed and well on her way to angry, and he began to walk again, albeit more quickly this time. Good things never happened when Rin was upset, he was starting to realize. The girl had a temper and was bold to the point of foolishness, so much so that he was starting to wonder if the sweet, playful child that Souta had insisted on telling him about was only a figment of the human male's imagination.

Whatever was upsetting the girl, he immediately decided that he would need to put a stop to it because, though he hated to admit it, the scent of her anger laced with her natural perfume was going straight to his head. He wasn't sure if he wanted to run her out of his castle to keep it from affecting him so much or run _to_ her and rub himself against her, immersing himself in her scent like a mindless dog. Naturally, the latter desire was the sole creation of his _youki_ and, therefore, automatically relegated in his mind to an idiotic and completely impossible solution. The former idea conflicted with the plans he already had in place for her and so it too was discarded.

When he was perhaps two corners away from her current position, another scent joined hers and it originated from a side corridor. His sensitive nose tingled at the strong scent of a _youkai_ on the hunt, mixed with the smell of ozone. He knew immediately that it was one of the two Lightening Brothers and he walked just a bit faster. The _taiyoukai_ knew that, while she could handle most of his subjects in theory due to her powers, she was untrained and therefore defenseless until he could kidnap a tutor for her from one of the nearby villages. A weak _youkai_ like Jaken wouldn't be too much trouble for her but a powerful one like Hiten – the older of the two brothers – was far beyond her current abilities. And he strongly suspected that it was indeed the elder brother who had cornered the girl because the scent invading his nostrils carried none of the impatience that Manten – the younger brother – always displayed.

Of course, he wasn't rushing towards her because he actually _cared_ about her and certainly **not** because his _youki_ was murmuring in his ear about the audacity of someone else touching _his_ human. No, he merely disliked the fact that someone had actually dared to defy him, and in his own home no less, when he had made it abundantly clear earlier that she was to be killed by no one else but himself. No one else had that right and even the human girl, as ignorant as she was of their ways, had acknowledged his ownership of her life.

The more he thought about her facing off against one of his disobedient subjects the more his affront grew and he was ready to draw blood as he rounded the corner in just enough time to hear Hiten say, "…I have every intention of savoring your flesh so at least you know you won't go to waste."

For reasons he didn't dare examine, a tiny shiver when down his spine and he found himself gathering poison to the tips of his claws without thinking, his steps brisk as his mind took in the scene in front of him and attempted to process it. He was still a ways up the corridor from the two but he saw Hiten first – who had his back to him - and he took a whiff of the air, noting the self-satisfied air the other _youkai_ had. The eldest Lightening Brother was obviously savoring what would, no doubt, be an easy kill which was why he hadn't lashed out just yet and acted on his spoken threat.

Though he wasn't particularly emotional, Sesshoumaru found his anger rising at the sheer audacity of the _youkai_ and he was just a few feet away from reaching out and teaching the arrogant beast exactly what it meant to disregard his orders when Rin's scent spiked. The smell emanating from her was quite unlike anything else he'd ever encountered and it stopped him dead in his tracks. She had been angry before but what she was giving off now went beyond anger and straight to rage. It was so sharp that he actually felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and his sensitive nose twitched. The residual _youki_ in the stones of the castle began gathering in response to the incredible vibe she was giving off and he felt it creeping around his body, sliding beneath his clothes and sinking down into his pores, automatically bolstering his defenses as it too waited for whatever was about to happen.

He watched, fascinated, as her face transformed. It wasn't physically, but it was there nonetheless in her soulful eyes, a change in her thinking. The _taiyoukai_ could clearly see the intelligence at work in those brown orbs and they fairly sparkled, as if a new person was emerging from the depths of her very soul. The young lord wondered how in the world Hiten didn't feel or see her transformation and somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that the other _youkai_ was going to regret his lack of awareness and very soon at that.

For one second, just one, her eyes trailed away from Hiten to look over his shoulder at Sesshoumaru and the moment their eyes collided, he felt as if the air had been sucked out of his lungs. There, naked and out in the open was pain, and it was a type of pain that he understood very well. He had thought it odd that her mood had turned so intense all of a sudden but, looking into her eyes directly, he actually _understood_ where all the raw emotion was coming from. It wasn't just simple anger at being threatened, nor was it something that had merely been building over the course of a few hours, or a day, or even months. No, this was years of pent up frustration coming to the fore and he knew it well because he had been carrying on a war against humans for years as a result of that exact same anger. He was also aware of the fact that, sometimes, that particular form of anger could be set off by the smallest of things.

**_'Hurting,'_** his _youki_ murmured to him,** _'hurting like me.'_** He couldn't even bring himself to deny it.

It was strange really, how quickly things could change. A moment ago he would have sworn that he cared nothing for her thoughts or feelings but for one second he had actually identified with Rin, and he felt confused. His heart was doing that odd flip-flop that only she had ever evoked in him and he felt a strong sense of profoundness – the same one he had felt when he first met Souta. It murmured softly in his pointed ear that Rin would lead him to his future. He had a feeling that he was seeing a side of Rin right now that even her own family didn't know about, for a certainty what he was seeing and feeling from her didn't match Souta's description of a carefree little girl with no worries or anger in her heart.

It was…intimate, disturbingly so for his peace of mind and gratifyingly so for his disobedient _youki_.

However, he didn't have much more time to dwell on this new mystery surrounding Rin because he felt a huge surge of holy energy the moment her eyes focused on Hiten once more. The _youki_ that had attached itself to him expanded and formed a shield around his body to protect him from the threat of purification but it didn't prevent him from discerning that her intense power was sizzling across his aura and attempting to squeeze itself through the tightly knit shield. If he had been a kind person he might have actually felt sorry for Hiten. Instead, Sesshoumaru opted to observe as she moved forward, with a bluish-white glow forming around her tiny hands, and grabbed onto Hiten - who had immediately tried to move away the moment her latent powers made themselves manifest.

A terrifying howl tore itself from Hiten's mouth the moment she made contact with him and the taiyoukai watched, mesmerized as the entire corridor took on a blue glow from Rin's power. He couldn't take his eyes off of her face as a myriad of emotions paraded across it.

Confusion as she tried to figure out what was happening to her.

Realization as it dawned on her exactly what she was doing.

Panic when the scent of burning flesh filled the air and Hiten's howls of pain began to weaken.

And, finally, guilt as she yanked her hands away from the _youkai's_ arm and saw how clearly her power had burned through his sleeve and nearly melted the flesh from around his bones in the exact shape of her hands. The blue light dissipated, her power retreating once more to lie dormant and Hiten slumped against the wall, his breaths coming out in pained gasps.

Rin stared at him and then looked at her hands - which were pristine since any traces of the _youkai's_ skin would have been burned away by her outburst of energy. Slowly, so very slowly she stretched her hands out towards Hiten in an obvious gesture of help but he jerked away from her and bared his fangs.

Even though Sesshoumaru had told himself on numerous occasions that he kept Rin around to learn more about humans and _miko_ alike he could not help but wish that he didn't witness what happened next.

One moment Rin was staring at Hiten with a stricken look, the next she was on her knees and doing her best to put the contents of her stomach on display for the world to see. It was apparent that she hadn't had anything to eat in while since all she did was dry heave, but he could hear her whispering something between each heave and it gradually grew louder until he could make out two words that she said over and over again like some sort of pray.

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly as she lifted her head.

"I'm sorry," she said again but this time it was slightly muffled because she swiped the back of her hand over her mouth to clean it, even though she hadn't really thrown anything up.

"I'm sorry," she repeated with more volume and the _taiyoukai_ saw her eyes glistening with moisture.

"I'm s…sorry, so very sorry," and this time her voice broke and she looked at Sesshoumaru as if he could actually turn back time and make it so that she hadn't nearly maimed Hiten. He felt no pity whatsoever toward the Lightening Brother - who had brought his injuries upon himself - but his _youki_ grew restless as the acrid smell of her sorrow and fear invaded his nostrils. He wanted, no, needed to stop her pain for both of their sakes because the longer he stared at her, the more he felt as if just the tiniest shred of caring for her well being had taken root in his cold heart and it was threatening to grow if he was unwary.

There was a major problem, however, in that he hadn't the slightest idea how to comfort someone or to, at least, get a woman to stop crying. Most _youkai_ women never cried and he realized just how inadequately equipped he was to do anything to hold Rin's tears at bay. His mind was grasping at straws when he realized that the only time she had ever seemed to relax was when he agreed to use her name. Deliberately keeping any and all desperation from his voice he said the only thing he could think of.

"Rin," he called her name in hopes it would snap her out of her funk and mentally winced at how cold he sounded, even to himself. The young woman took one look at him, scrunched her face up, and burst into tears, sobbing as if the world was coming to an end.

Golden eyes darted about in a panic and he felt his _youki_ laughing at him since it always enjoyed making him squirm. He knew that the spectacle they made in the middle of the hall was unlikely to go unnoticed by the servants for much long so he did the only thing he could think of. Gathering his power, he scooped the weeping girl up into his arms, forcing his body not to freeze up when she curled her arms around his shoulders and buried her wet face in the crook of his neck.

She sniffled deeply and he did his best to ignore to tears running down the side of his throat as he searched the hall for the nearest window. Spying one, he levitated himself off of the ground and zoomed out of the opening, deciding that it was the best way to avoid prying eyes. He immediately headed for the safety of his room where he would have the privacy he needed to do something about Rin. As for Hiten, he could care less if the entire castle knew of the humiliation he had suffered, it served the _youkai_ right as far as he was concerned and so he decided to leave him where he was.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Thanks for putting up with my outrageous updates. I really appreciated the reviews I got because thing just haven't been going right for me since the start of this year. More Sess/Rin goodness ahead and there just might be some Miroku thrown in the mix. As always please read and review, it's fuel for us authors.


	14. Comfort?

Sorry for the long delay, I've been heavily involved in my sister's wedding and this has been half finished for all of forever. Thanks to those who are still sticking with it.

Thanks to:

**Tay**, **sarah**, **whitehitsugaya**, **Krazi3AnimeLover**,**Jayde Raine**, **AnimeFreak-TrunksPan-Lover4evr, ****FoxyFire45** (thanks for the suggestion, I've taken it to heart), **Nikki**, **joy**, **Rosalie**, **vanilfrappe**, **Kopali**, **anhimals**, **New Fan**, **Blue-Heart08**, **HawkAngel XD**, **fluffycrush**, and **birdlady**

**Note:** Sorry again for the lack of speech. I'm honestly treading new waters for this fic. Because of the nature of the Sesshoumaru and Rin pairing I'm portraying here, I feel like conveying emotions through actions more than conversation. For me, as I see the two of them at this point in their relationship, I can't imagine them doing much talking. Because the two of them have such volatile personalities I foresee long-time verbal exposure between them breaking down into screaming matches. It might sound like a cop-out but that's honestly how I feel. These two are taking on a life all their own and while I enjoy trying to write witty conversation, it doesn't feel appropriate here. If I had to describe this story, it's both a love story and a coming-of-age story for both Sesshoumaru and Rin.

Sesshoumaru actually does some maturing in this chapter and Rin…well, Rin's becoming a woman. I was thinking about the good-old-days of puberty when our bodies never did what we wanted them to when I typed this up - now apply that thought to Sesshy and see what happens .

Anyways, I know this is completely different from my other fic "Thread Bound", and I don't expect this be some sort of hit but the best way to describe my mood when writing this is mellow but intense (if that makes any sense). Hope you enjoy.

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 12**

**Comfort?**

Miroku considered himself to be quite the connoisseur when it came to women. Granted, he had a bad reputation of asking anything with breasts if she would bear his child but that was neither here nor there. He just couldn't help himself when it came to flattering those of the opposite sex. Most of his fellow men considered women to be a necessary evil - useful for getting a child on and servicing them in one of the numerous whorehouses but, otherwise, weak and generally as stupid as the day was long.

Personally, he thought most men were fools for maintaining such a blindly misogynistic view of the mothers of their society. Okay, so perhaps women in general weren't as _physically_ strong as men were but, in his experience, most women could run circles around men in the brains department. He admired them for their resilience of spirit, their ability to carry a child to term and give birth to it in what was probably the most incredibly painful experience any human could ever undergo…and do it multiple times at that. And then, there were their quick minds, and – Kami help him – their gorgeous, _gorgeous_ curves. He sighed and asked Kami-Sama to forgive him because although he was supposed to be a monk, he honestly considered himself to be a normal, hot-blooded human male.

It was hard not to seize upon every opportunity to swoop in and whisk some unsuspecting lady off of her feet; it would be like plucking an exotic but forbidden flower for him. The only thing that kept him from breaking his vows was the knowledge that he could hold out forever for one "flower" in particular. This particular "flower" was extraordinarily beautiful - vibrant in ways he couldn't even begin to describe – but the catch was that she had thorns, lots of them. It was a constant dance for him to get close to her without having blood drawn. To make matters worse, every time he relieved her of some of her thorns she grew new ones whenever they spent too much time apart. It had been six months since he'd last seen her and he just knew that she had come up with some new excuse to push him away.

However, he would have been lying if he said he didn't like a challenge and his precious "flower" was worth whatever pains he had to go through to obtain her. Besides, he refused to even consider giving her up for someone easier when he _knew_ that she was fond of him in her own way. Call him a fool - and he freely admitted that the less-than-flattering title _did_ fit him sometimes – but if there was one thing he knew it was how to read people. And his "Miroku-Sense" was telling him that not only was she attracted to him but that it wouldn't be long until he saw her again. It was just a strong feeling he had.

He thoughts the gods must have been laughing when, right on the tail end of his thoughts, he heard shouts from his fellow monks and a familiar, cat-shaped shadow passed overhead. A tiny smile spread across his lips but he kept his head down, moving the broom in his hands steadily since he _had_ been sweeping until he allowed thoughts of his favorite taijiya to put his work on hold.

Frowning in concentration, he purposely ignored her in favor of gathering the almost non-existent grains of dust and dirt from the already immaculate temple courtyard. Of course, he couldn't have cared less about how clean the courtyard was and even less because he knew that some other fanatically fastidious monk had already gone over the yard twice the day before. The head monk was just giving them something to pass the time since there had been a lull in the fight with the youkai and they didn't have much to do until they were called again. It was childish of him but he acted as if dirt was the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen – even more so than _her_ – because he knew she was impatient and he rather enjoyed seeing her angry face when he didn't pay attention to her.

The click of nails sounded on the courtyard stones, telling him that Kirara had landed and he deliberately refused to acknowledge either the beast or her mistress. _'She won't like this,'_ he thought to himself but he still maintained his smile; he just couldn't help teasing her.

'_Just a few seconds more until she can't take me ignoring her anymore,' _he mused silently, _'Let's see, I'll start the countdown from three this time. And a three…two…one…'_

"Monk, I need to have a word with you," said the stern voice of his "flower".

Still moving the broom back and forth in even strokes, Miroku continued refrained from looking up at her as he answered in a light tone, "Monk? Darling Sango, there are approximately one hundred and fifty monks here and I don't recall anyone who goes by the name "Monk". I suppose it would be convenient to be called thus since you can be certain that no one would ever forget your name but, alas, there is no one named Monk here, so I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere. Or…," he paused and gave her a slanted look from beneath his lashes, smirking slightly, "maybe you've just forgotten your manners and are assuming that it's perfectly alright for you to come here and ask for something without doing me the courtesy of using my name. We aren't strangers, Sango-chan and you won't keep my attentions at bay by being rude. I've told you once that that childish bullying of yours just makes you even cuter and increases my determination to have you as my wife someday."

Behind him, he heard one of his fellow monks gasp and he ignored it. It was fairly well known that he was not a typical monk and the head of his temple had already acknowledged that his pupil simply wasn't cut out for a life of celibacy. Of course, the fact that he was fairly powerful and his mind was much quicker than most served to ease his way since both traits were in short supply with the war going on. Naturally, there were a few stuffy old men and couple of overzealous young ones who held him in contempt for his fixation on the opposite sex but he, frankly, could have cared less. Flirting wasn't a true breaking of his vow of celibacy and he fully intended to uphold his promise to Kami-Sama until the day the gorgeous young woman before him agreed to be his wife.

He must have been staring at her for too long because she flushed and lightly bit her lip – something he found irresistibly adorable – before straightening her spine and flashing him a glare.

Waving her hand as if she were physically able to brush off his words she said, "Enough of your chatter, Mon…Miroku. I need to speak to you…_alone_," she shot a look full of meaning at a young monk named Kenji – who hadn't taken his eyes off of her chest once since she began speaking – and the poor thing 

did as he was told, or not told rather. The boy scampered off and Miroku held in his laughter; few men could stand up to Sango when she was in one of her moods – she just had that affect.

Leaning against the broom, he didn't bother to hide the fond look he knew crept into his eyes whenever he saw her. She was such a strong woman in many ways but utterly helpless against a man who appreciated her for her mind, her beauty, her skill…and her sex appeal – which she had in spades.

"Would you stop looking at me like that, already," she snapped once her eyes were on him once again.

"Would you stop being so appealing," he replied in a mild tone, flashing her his most charming smile.

She huffed cutely and folded her arms – he would stab himself in the heart before he told her how to gesture emphasized her lovely breasts – and said, "Whatever, I didn't come here to be molested by you. I wanted to request your help."

"I _love_ how you do your very best to _persuade_ me to help you obtain any and all of your hearts desires. I've never met a woman with so much _tact_," his voice was honey sweet. It left no doubt in her mind that - while he would indulge her in some things - she wasn't going to have an easy time of enlisting his help if she didn't go about it the proper way. He was quite certain that he was half in love with the woman but even he had a limit to how much of her nonsense he would take. Easygoing he might have been, but he wasn't a doormat and every once in a while he had to remind her of that fact.

Sango let out a heavy sigh and said something under breath that sounded suspiciously like "darned worthless perverted monk", but he wasn't sure. Miroku knew she was trying to figure out a way to give him what he wanted without showing him any weaknesses and he held back a sigh of his own.

'_Stubborn woman,'_ he chided her mentally before relenting just a bit and straightening up. Stretching his arms out to ease the kinks and rotating his head a few times, he kept his eyes on her and decided that the day would progress much faster if he gave her an opening and ignored her lack of manners for a spell.

"Sango-chan, why don't we have a seat, hmm?" he gestured toward a couple of chairs resting beneath the giant maple tree on the right side of the courtyard.

Apparently realizing that he had granted her a reprieve from having to show him _any_ sort of respect for a few minutes, she squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye.

"No, I'm fine just standing. This won't take long anyways."

"So you say," Miroku said in a voice laced with wariness.

She flashed him a sharp look but opted not to comment.

"As I said earlier, I need your help."

"Whatever for, Sango-dearest? Is it something your fellow taijiya can't help you with?"

"No," she said bluntly, "it isn't. I need someone with fairly strong powers and you are one of the strongest I know."

"Well, I'm alright, I suppose, but if you need the help of someone with holy abilities, why not a miko or a priest? For a certainty there are people in either group who are located much closer to you. Why did you feel the need to travel out of your way to see me? Don't tell me…," his voice turned sly and he smirked, rubbing the edge of his thumb over his chin, "that you were so desperate to see me that you were willing to come up with such a thin excuse. Not that I'm complaining, mind you, rather, I'm very flattered and I have no qualms about showing you the…finer points of life in my room."

To her credit, she was getting much better at controlling her temper when he teased her but her face was turning such a fascinating shade of red that he, again, decided that he needed to put it on hold for a moment.

"Okay, so that was a bad joke but seriously, can you be more specific about why you need me of all people?"

"Like I was saying," Sango said in a tight voice, "I need you in particular because you are one of the strongest monks I know. But before I say what I have to say, I have a question for you."

Miroku noted the way she kept her eyes trained on him. She was a stubborn woman and he knew the look she was giving him quite well. Whatever she was about to tell him, she had already resolved to do something about it with or without his help. He preferred that she did it with his help so that he could limit whatever damage she was about to, invariably, do.

"I'm listening."

"Miroku…have you…are tired of this war?"

He met her steady look with one of his own and replied gently, "Yes, I am. I'm tired of the endless bloodshed. I'm tired of walking through villages full of starving children and villages that have been burned to the ground. I would love to have peace, but since the main instigator of this whole war escaped the other day - and just when we finally had him too - I don't see it ending any time soon."

"I feel the same way. I'm sick of them, Miroku. I want this fighting to be done and over with. I love to fight but I don't want it at the cost of so many lives. These youkai, they taken too much and I'm ready for them to disappear – every single one of them."

Her hatred of youkai was clear but he found it unsettling how vehement she was about voicing it. He was upset too about the countless deaths at the hands of the western youkai but he didn't want them all gone. He had seen and heard enough in his lifetime to know that it was unfair to lump them all together like that.

However, he didn't dare voice his thoughts on the matter to Sango, not until she had finished saying her piece.

"That's why I decided to take matters into my own hands. If we wait for the men in charge to do anything, there won't be enough people left for it to make any difference. Now my question to you is this: Who is keeping the strife between humans and youkai going?"

"That would be Sesshoumaru," Miroku answered, feeling somewhat sick as an idea of where she was heading with her speech took root in the back of his mind. _'Dear Kami, please don't let her be crazy enough to attempt the impossible.'_

"And what would happen if Sesshoumaru was gone?"

"Well…," Miroku hesitated as he tried to find some way out of saying what she wanted him. He _really_ didn't want to give her an even greater excuse for following through on a plan that was almost guaranteed to get them both killed.

"Yes?" she prompted eagerly, her eyes bright. He mentally swore every vile word he could think of for noticing how gorgeous she looked when it was so clear to him that the course she had chosen was suicidal at best and flat-out insane at worse.

"Anything could happen. The war might end quickly," fairly likely, but youkai were infamous for holding grudges so he wouldn't have laid bets on that outcome.

"Or," he continued, "someone else might take his place and we'll be just as bad off as we are now or maybe even worse. He _has_ relented a bit these past few months and I heard it might be because of the human man they found traveling with him."

Though he adored her, that wouldn't change the fact that she was still Sango and, in typical Sango-fashion, she chose to ignore the second half of his statement in favor for the first.

"That is where I was going, Miroku. Without that arrogant youkai leading them, his servants would probably disperse and life could go on as usual. I have a plan Miroku," she said, her eyes fairly sparkling with eagerness.

The monk had already discerned her "plan" but he knew stopping her would be like trying to tether an ox with a piece of thread. The pitiful thing was that he cared about her too much to allow her recklessness to get her killed without him being by her side to try and catch her when she fell. _'Except, she probably won't be bouncing back from this,'_ he thought sadly.

Though he knew what she was going to say next, it didn't make it any easier on his poor heart as the words sealing her fate left her mouth.

"Miroku," she said, holding his eyes captive with the intensity in her own, "I want you to help me kill Sesshoumaru."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sesshoumaru slipped through his window with barely a whisper, touching down on the cold stones of his bedroom floor as gently as he could. Golden eyes scanned his room for a possible spot to relocate Rin to and settled on an intricately carved chair that was lacquered an iridescent shade of black. Striding over to the chair, he relaxed his hold on the girl and attempted to tug the girl free so that he could get her out of his arms and into the seat post-haste.

The audacious little thing actually had the nerve to tighten her limpet-like grip on his neck and shove her face as deeply into the crook of said-neck as she could. His natural reaction was to take his claws and dig them into her tender flesh if she didn't take her filthy mortal paws away from his person, but he controlled it. It was hardly the time or place for him to allow his pride and inbred disgust of anything human to defeat the purpose of him bringing her to his room. Besides, he honestly didn't feel like hurting her any more that day than he already had and that strange moment in the hallway had shaken him more than he cared to admit.

Letting out a sigh that barely stirred her hair, he looked around for another likely spot before deciding that, _just this once_, he would lower himself to sit down on his bed with her. His bed, like those in the rooms of his other absent family members, had been imported from the countries across the vast ocean. Those lands were so far west that _even he_ had never been able to follow in his father's footsteps and explore them. He _was_ curious about those foreign countries but not enough to abandon his home and his war in order to explore them.

Padding silently over to the massive bed, he sat down on its black silk covers and arranged Rin's legs so that they were draped across his own. He had already removed his breastplate before following after Rin in the first place, so he didn't have to worry about impaling her by accident. The young lord was, however, beginning to feel less and less comfortable about being in such an intimate setting with the girl. He wasn't particularly used to treating members of the opposite sex so gently and it didn't help that his youki was thrumming from being in such close proximity to someone as inherently fascinating to it as Rin.

The girl shifted slightly and he felt her breathe out a sharp puff of air that made the hair on the side of his neck prickle and drew his muscles up tight. He really, _really_ wasn't prepared to be so close to her and his 

eyes darted about as he searched for something – _anything_ - that would take his mind off of hic current predicament. Unfortunately, there were few distractions in his room - he had seen to that personally - and he had never regretted his lack of foresight until now.

'_Girl, you are becoming more trouble than you're worth,'_ he thought sourly.

Sighing again – it was starting to become a habit – he contented himself with loosening the control he had placed on his youki. He needed to check for injuries and utilizing his innate powers was the fastest way to do it – it also saved him from having to lower himself enough to actually use his _hands_ to ascertain her wellbeing. At least she had stopped crying and the sharp scent of her pain wasn't tormenting his sensitive nose anymore.

She must have realized that he wasn't going to throw her off of him just yet because her arms relaxed around his shoulders and she actually pulled away a little in order to fix those soft brown eyes of hers on his face. He studied her in silence as a part of his youki separated itself from his body and crawled slowly down his arm before reaching out thin tendrils towards Rin's left arm.

Rin's eyes widened and she jerked her arm away from the thin threads of power trying to latch onto her while clinging desperately to his neck with the other limb. He growled at her and she froze, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Would you care to explain to me, girl, why you are panicking over nothing?"

"That thing was trying to touch me! What is it? Why did it come off of you? What was it trying t…?" her questions came out in a rush and he cut her off before she panicked even more and bolstered his irritation.

"'_That thing'_ as you put it is my youki. Surely you've seen it before?"

"Youki? Oh, Kagome explained that to me somewhat and I'm sure I felt it earlier but…" her words trailed off.

"You were unable to see it before?" he asked her softly, more than a little curious as to what this new development meant.

"Yes, that's right. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend but I just saw this green bubble pop _out_ of you and ooze down your arm on its way to me. I'm sorry Sesshoumaru, I'm a little…shaken and I'm probably not making much sense and I'm just so…s-sorry," she bit her lip and it trembled as her eyes filled with tears.

It was so rare for anyone to use his name without an honorific attached to that - in his surprise - he almost forgot the reason why he had brought Rin to his room in the first place. He wasn't petty enough to get upset that she wasn't being entirely respectful of his position as Lord of the West when she was so obviously distraught. Still, he _really_ disliked seeing and smelling her pain and he honestly would have done anything in his power to avoid the repeat performance she was about to give him.

Searching his memories once more for a solution to his current problem, he vaguely recalled his father's human woman and the methods she used when his infant half-brother had resorted to caterwauling in a way that no full-bred youkai would have stooped to. If he recalled it the right way, Izayoi – Inuyasha's mother – would cuddle him in her arms and softly stroke his hair and the little ears perched atop his head. Sometimes she would hum too, but Sesshoumaru refused to go _that_ far.

Looking into her wide eyes, which were shimmering with unshed tears, he slowly reached a hand up and, with the utmost reluctance, drew his knuckle lightly over the fine hair gracing the side of her head. His touch was so light that he doubted she could even feel it but she surprised him, yet again, by blinking back her tears and tilting her head towards his hand, silently asking for more.

Deep brown eyes stared at him and he found himself unable to turn away as he guided his hand upwards again and lightly sunk the tips of his claws into the silky strands of her curly hair. He actually liked the way her disobedient hair snaked up and down his knuckles as he pulled his hand slowly through her locks. Though he told himself that he was only behaving like this because he wanted her to calm down, he found himself reaching up again and again to draw his fingers through her hair, watching in silent fascination as a number of different emotions flew across her face.

'_She's a human,'_ his mind kept whispering to him, over and over again until it became a litany to remind him why he shouldn't be doing this, no matter how much comforting she needed. But his youki whispered a darker truth to him in back of his mind. It told him in its smug way that he was acting like this for exactly that reason.

Rin was a human from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. She was many times weaker than him physically. The woman-child was so slow he could kill her a dozen ways in as many seconds. Her hair was plain black and curly, which was hardly considered attractive by most. In fact, he knew that he himself was more attractive than she was, with his pale skin versus her sun-kissed cheeks and arms. Too, her face - while pretty enough - lacked the ephemeral quality of his kind that attracted mortals like moths to a flame.

There were so many reasons why she was unworthy of his attention and yet…his youki was transfixed by her. He had only intended to stroke her head a few times, treating her as a he might a pet of sorts, but his hand seemed to have a life all its own and he couldn't muster up the desire to look at anything else but her expressive face. Funny, that – from the moment she had set him free - he had spent most his time thinking of ways to avoid her and reminding himself that he was not his father. And yet, when presented with abundant proof of why she was unworthy of being in his presence he was quite unwilling to move away.

Faint alarms went off in his head when he found himself staring at her ear and wanting to nibble on it ever so lightly to see how she would react. He touched the tip of his tongue to one of his fangs and calculated just the right pressure he would need to exert on her skin to make her jump and curl into his arms.

It didn't occur to him that there was something wrong with this picture because he couldn't seem to think much further than Rin and taking his time to wring every imaginable reaction out of her. And her smell, it had somehow grown more potent in the past few seconds than he remembered it being. She still had a fascinatingly earthy smell, but he could also smell something that was feminine, deliciously so, and he bent forward, breathing deeply of the scent.

If he squinted, he could see a faint halo around her body which illuminated her features. Again, something niggled in the back of his head that this wasn't quite right but he was having a hard time focusing. So, instead, he dug his hand so deeply into her thick strands of hair that he touched her scalp and, very lightly, scraped the sharp tip of his claws against her delicate skin. Her eyes snapped shut for a few seconds, as if she were in the grip of a strong emotion, and she bent forward to touch the side of his jaw. Slender fingers traced a path down to his neck and he found himself torn between a feeling of wrongness about this entire situation – from the way they _both_ were acting to his lack of distaste for being touched so familiarly by a human – and an unnaturally strong desire to let things be and see where it took them.

It wasn't until her hand crawled beneath the long length of his hair and her nails scratched lightly on the back of his neck that he figured out what was up. The feel of her digits on the sensitive skin hidden by his hair sent a shock down his spine that made his skin prickle. The oddly pleasurable feeling continued on down as it reached his luxurious tail and kept on going until the very tip of it jerked in response and thumped down just as suddenly on the silken covers of his bed.

Sesshoumaru might as well have been doused with cold water. He stood up immediately and dumped her off of him, onto the bed, before catching hold of the tip of his traitorous tail and striding across the 

room. The taiyoukai could feel her eyes on him but he did not turn around to meet them. There was something else he had to take care of first.

Narrowing his eyes, he could see little flecks of green apparently floating in the air but he knew better. His youki had merely scattered across so much of the room that it looked as if it was nothing more than a faint shimmering cloud when, in actuality, it was a web of energy that was woven tightly together with strands plucked from the castle's own supply of power. How his youki had managed to coax power from his surroundings without him noticing, he had no idea but he fully intended to put a stop to it before he made even more of a fool of himself than he already had.

Concentrating, he deftly plucked his errant youki from the joints holding the peculiar web of energy together and pulled it back into his body where it rightfully belonged. The tips of his hair waved ever so slightly as the near invisible power rushed into its owner and he watched in satisfaction as the leftover strands of energy in the air quivered before collapsing in on their selves and slowly seeping away, back into the castle stones.

Snorting softly, he took a deep breath and composed himself, not yet ready to turn and face the other half of his problem - who radiated curiosity and bewilderment from her position on his bed. He stroked the tip of his tail gently as he mentally reviewed the events of the past few minutes and struggled to keep his temper in check. If he hadn't lowered the bars he kept around his powers and broken his self-proclaimed rule not to touch the girl, the humiliation he'd just suffered would never have happened. The interference of his youki also explained why she too had reacted the way she had and crossed the invisible lines they'd drawn between them.

He couldn't exactly resent her since she hadn't the training the resist a well executed attack of youkai energy. Apparently, It was one thing to batter at her en masse, which would raise her natural defenses – that was what had occurred earlier out in the courtyard when the residual youki had originally sought her out – and quite another for her to be subtly manipulated after outpouring so much energy against Hiten.

It was something entirely new he had learned about her, yet he took no pleasure in the knowing. And the reason for his displeasure was because - as much as it pained to admit it - he could honestly say that his enjoyment in watching her…touching her had not been feigned. Shame should not have been something he had to go through again, not after the events surrounding his father and that human woman of his but if he had to describe it, there was no other word he could use.

Wasn't he supposed to have learned from his father's mistakes? Hadn't he told himself time and again that he _was not_ his father and, therefore, he would not fall into the same foolish trap? Yet, here he was, angry and feeling more than a little desperate because his youki had tapped into the fascination he held for the human girl. Of course, he got angry because his own powers seemed to work against him where Rin was concerned but, in the end, they were still a part of him and his youki only really worked with what was already there.

What had shaken him, though, was his childish response to her touching him – willingly - with the intent to reciprocate his soothing actions. It might sound amusing to some but it was humiliating to an adult inuyoukai to have reacted the way he had to a simple touch at the base of his neck. Even though it was what had broken his youki's hold over him, the adolescent nature of his reaction made him cringe.

He, Sesshoumaru the current lord of the Westernlands had actually done something as _**base**_ as _wagging_ his tail…and for a human girl, no less.

It spoke volumes about her potential power over him that she had actually called up such an embarrassingly primal response to her attentions. Who knew what would happen if he didn't maintain his distance.

Turning, he controlled his features and stared at the girl, who stared right back at him with those gentle brown eyes of hers. She looked so vulnerable there, a tiny speck curled into a half circle and floating on 

the vast, inky sea of his bed. What creature on earth had the right to look so guileless when he had seen and heard for himself what she was capable of? His hand almost burned where her hair had touched him and he had an incredibly insane urge to lick the spot so that he could roll her taste over his tongue again.

"Girl," he began and she blinked, tilting her head just a bit.

"This thing that just happened…" he began, fully intending to put to rest whatever notions where beginning to form in her head about changing the nature of their relationship.

"You touched me," she interrupted him bluntly and his words died on his tongue.

She studied him for a long moment and - not for the first time - he wished he knew what was going through her head. Rin's eyes held his and he wondered what she saw when he looked at him and why they always seemed to end up in a staring contest when most people couldn't look him in the eye for more than a few seconds.

Sesshoumaru watched as she took a deep breath, closed her eyes…opened them again, and began to speak.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sorry for the long delay and weirdness of this chapter. As always, please read and review and let me know what you thought.


	15. Monsters

Sorry for the long wait my dears, I hope this makes up for it since there's quite a bit of progression between these two. Poor Sess doesn't know how to deal with Rin and Rin is finding that there's no reasoning away her attraction to Sesshy.

Thanks to:

**mistery rose, ****mintandtea** (You completely made my day. I am not the "OMG, yur hawt lets get married" type because I truly believe in building a relationship over time, verses jumping into one immediately. I'm the "let's be friends and have a good rapport with each other before we go further" type. Thanks for picking up on what I was going for and letting me know that I'm not going to slow.), **rose, ****withering-blackrose**, **kip**, **Valerie **(Two reviews? You're too sweet), **vanilfrappe**, **AnimeFreak-TrunksPan-Lover4evr, ****JC-WV**, **anhimals**(Inu's going to put in his appearance but not for a while yet. I'm going to ease him in slowly), **Krazi3-AnimeLover**, **Frangiani** (Genius? Moi? I'm glad I haven't scared you away with the less-than-usual plot), **Che-chan** (I absolutely refuse to let this story go on hiatus for so long again. Glad you liked the tail wagging ;P), **HawkAngel XD**, **SpazzChicken**, **New Fan** (Don't worry, Kagome will get her Inu-puppy before the end), **whitehitsugaya**, **birdladay**, **SeEmYaWeSoMeNeSs** (I know the last chapter was a bit odd, I hope this makes up for it a bit).

P.S. Thanks to everyone who commented on the bit about Sesshoumaru wagging his tail. I wasn't sure how my dear readers would react but I had such strong imagery about it that I couldn't resist putting it in. If you know me from reading any of my other fics, you know I like humor so expect more before the end. Who says a serious story can't also be funny ;P

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 13**

**Monsters**

Rin always knew that someday her mouth would get her killed. She was too outspoken, too opinionated, too bold…too much of everything that usually resulted in death or imprisonment.

She had been too bold when she thought she could touch Sesshoumaru with impunity. It hadn't been her intent, of course, but there he was - so beautiful that she could cry and with a hand that was gentle as it ran through her hair. As she stared at him, she couldn't help but notice that here vision seemed…clearer, somehow. It was like the in-between moment when she was about to cry, where everything was razor sharp for a split-second before the tears spilled over.

There was no indication of his youki now and she knew that it was because he had gathered it back into his body and was apparently keeping a tight lid on it. It was doubtful that she would soon forget the sight of thousands of tiny green specs dancing in the air around him like stars before whirling together and gathering onto his body - tiny, green burrs of light that disappeared within moments of contact.

It was beautiful to watch. He was beautiful. And she fought a blush as she remembered the odd feelings that had crept over her when they faced each other in the courtyard.

Those feelings were creeping back now and it occurred to her that she should be holding them back with the barrier of denial she had erected before. But...she couldn't.

No, instead her mind focused in on the fact that his arms were so strong and yet so gentle. She didn't think that anything in her life had ever made her feel as secure as being cradled in Sesshoumaru's arms had. It was true that he irritated her no end with his haughtiness, but she was hard-pressed to dwell on the negative aspects of his personality when he had just stepped way over the line he'd drawn between the two of them.

'_And now he's trying to escape back to his side of the line_,'' she thought to herself.

Rin could tell he was trying to put up a wall between the two of them again because of the first words that came out of his mouth after he brought his youki under his control. She could see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to categorize their actions as nothing more than an insignificant event.

It irritated her for, some reason, which is why she refused to let him make his escape.

The taiyoukai called their interaction a "thing," she blocked his retreat by bluntly telling him the cold facts.

"You touched me," she told him and, shock of shocks, he actually had nothing to say to that.

She took a moment to stare at him before closing her eyes and gathering her thoughts.

Her temporary breakdown due to the events in the hallway felt like a distant memory as she opened her eyes and met those of the being across the room from her.

She deliberately kept her voice pitched low as she said gently, "Thank you for helping me, Sesshoumaru-Sama."

He blinked at her and she almost smiled, knowing that she had thrown him off again. Golden eyes surreptitiously shifted from the right then to the left before he said, just as softly, "I was merely ensuring that my newest servant did not get herself killed."

Rin smiled, unsurprised by his answer. She shifted so that she could prop her head up on her hand in order to get a better view of the stoic taiyoukai.

"Sesshoumaru-Sama," she said, still maintaining her gentle tone, "I know that I am young, much more so than you who - according to my informative maidservant - are older than me by far more than a century. However, neither that nor the fact that I am human makes me stupid."

She lowered her lashes and brought her other hand up to spread against the black silk of his covers. A moment or two passed while she examined the contrast between her sun kissed hands and the fabric. Another tiny smile touched her lips when she reflected on her adopted father's reaction when he had realized that she had no intention of staying indoors just so she could remain fashionably pale. She had no desire to be a model of Japanese beauty just to be married off to some merchant or lesser noble who wouldn't care to look past her looks and _really_ get to know her.

Extending a finger, she idly began to trace patterns on the black silk as she spoke again, "I knew about you, you know. I didn't know that you were travelling with a human and that that human was Souta-Nii, but I heard about you. Women would whisper in the marketplace about how the leader of the youkai was a monster who took no prisoners and showed no mercy. Grown men, warriors, would brag about how they would be the ones to take your head...only after they were drunk enough to even contemplate doing something so foolish."

Rin stilled her hand and sought out Sesshoumau's eyes once more.

"I know that sometimes people like to tell tales but I also know that many tales have some truth to them. I know that you can be cruel and I think, in fact, that you are also exceptionally selfish, which is why your response doesn't make sense. Why would _you _rescue _me_? Especially when we both know that I was close, very close, to doing a lot more than burning the flesh from the bones in that youkai's arm?"

Rin shuddered at the memory and covertly rubbed her hand against the covers. She was positive that she could still feel her assailant's skin on her hands as it blistered before peeling away and disintegrating into ash, which then disappeared as her power consumed it.

"You don't really need to keep me alive and you could have left me in the hallway instead of bringing me to your room." She refrained from adding that he didn't need to cradle her in his arms and comfort her with his touch either, though the words hung in the air between them.

"Tell me, Sesshoumaru-Sama, do you think I am a fool because I do not fear you? Do you wonder how I can be so bold?" Rin took a deep breath and forced her nerves to settle as she waited for his answer.

There was something in the way his eyes moved over her face as he pondered his answer to her question and turned her previous words over in his head. She actually had to remind herself to breath properly because, even now, her heart and body were telling her that she had the undivided attention of a devastatingly handsome male.

Though her mind told her that it was just her youth speaking, she could still feel the imprint of his hands on her and his scent clung to the strands of hair that caressed the sides of her cheeks. The impression he'd left on her told a story about a young woman called Rin and the first time a man had touched that woman-child in a way that was neither impersonal nor brotherly.

"You are an unusual human," she almost missed the quiet words and she blinked, mildly surprised that he had actually said anything since he had been so quiet.

"So, I've been told - though not quite in those words. That's why my adopted father hasn't managed to marry me off, though I came of age two years ago," Rin replied.

"There is bravery and there is stupidity," the taiyoukai said, almost to his self, "You are not stupid, I think, though I will call you more than a little foolish. Has it occurred to you - and I believe I have said this before - that I am not truly obligated to keep you alive?"

"Aren't I just a replacement for Souta?"

He arched a fine silver brow at her and replied coldly, "Your brother is my servant - less than that if I were to be honest. I spared his life and he pledged it to me. He is mine to use how I see fit and you were given into my care by him. I do not _have_ to stay my hand every time you decide that you don't need to curb your tongue."

He kept his eyes trained on hers to ensure that she got his point and she nodded to show that she understood his warning and would keep it in mind in the future. After the not-so-small act of kindness he'd shown her earlier, she felt he'd earned at least a little of her respect.

"I am a monster by both human and youkai standards, never forget that, girl," he warned, "There is more than a little truth in what you have heard from your fellow humans."

There was something feral in the way he spoke that sent chills down her spine and she nodded a second time. Even if she didn't care for him she had the distinct feeling that it was in her best interests to stay on whatever constituted his good side.

Unfortunately, his words struck a chord and she licked her suddenly dry lips as she contemplated voicing a rather disturbing conclusion about herself that she had reaching while she figured out what to say.

A thought - well, it was more like an idea - had begun to form in her head after the disaster in the hall. She had avoided thinking about it too much - the distraction provided by Sesshoumaru's presence and his subsequent treatment of her had kept it firmly in the back of her mind.

However, all this talk of monsters brought her disquieting thoughts rushing to the forefront and she felt her confidence waning. If she squinted hard enough, she could just make out the beginnings of the new lines the taiyoukai was drawing up between them. And while she could see that they had reached an understanding, of sorts, she wondered if she could push his boundaries just a little more - make him willing to listen to her.

Because she hadn't been crying just because she had hurt another living thing - thought that was still a large part of it. No, she had cried because she realized exactly what it meant to have powers like hers.

What she needed, more than anything at the moment, was a friend - someone to talk to. Before the events in the hallway, Rin would never have even considered taking Sesshoumaru into her confidence but if she thought about logically, she was _his_ problem.

She had a feeling that she already had far more access to him than anyone else in his territory. And he had demonstrated two things to her: 1) that he could be kind when he was so inclined and 2) that he seemed to have a vested interest in her well-being.

Her foray into his domain had shown her that she wasn't welcomed by most, so the likelihood of developing a new friendship among his subjects was slim. Besides, whether he liked it or not, he was the only person she could turn to since he had clearly stated that she was under his dominion.

"Do you have nothing else to say?" he asked in his aggravatingly monotone voice, cutting into her thoughts.

Raising her eyes, she took in the sight his beautifully composed face - silently committing his features to memory - and realized that sometime during their interlude on the bed she had already decided that she would take the first step and give him just a bit of her trust.

"Do you know what I was thinking, Sesshoumaru-Sama, after I almost killed that youkai in the hall?" she whispered, her throat constricting with sudden nervousness.

Sesshoumaru shook his head slowly and she took another deep breath. "I," she swallowed, "I don't think I'll ever be able to forget the rush of power I felt when I began purifying him. It felt good, just for second, right before I understood what I was doing. Tell me, Sesshoumaru-Sama, if you are a monster because you kill your enemies without mercy, what am I? That's what I was thinking. I almost took someone's life and enjoyed the act - however temporary that joy was. Doesn't that make me a monster too?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sesshoumaru was taken aback by her words. It had never occurred to him that she might put the use of her powers in such a light. He really had no idea how he could answer her, so he set aside any potential replies - all of which wouldn't answer her question - and took his time to examine Rin.

'_What is it about her that is so intriguing,'_ he asked his self and he allowed his feet to bring the rest of him over to the bed so that he could look down at her directly.

Rin twisted her body until her back met the black sheets of his bed and she lay there with her hair fanning out around her head like a halo, the dark tresses blending in slightly with the dark silk. Her chocolate-colored eyes were partially veiled by her long lashes and they were trained on him…and him alone.

Another woman might have looked provocative in such a position and, truthfully, the picture she painted _did _rouse his male instincts but what stood out to him the most was how frail she looked.

_'Would I call her a monster?''_ the taiyoukai asked himself as he guided his eyes away from her face and moved them down to peruse the rest of her.

_'Such a tiny little thing,'_ he mused, recalling how he towered over her when she stood next to him. She still looked lost amidst his bedding.

Golden eyes drifted down to examine her neck. Her throat was pretty, long and slender...crushable. It would take nothing to end her life. Her body was slight but well formed and he didn't doubt that her curves would only become more pronounced the older she got.

Of course, he knew that a person's beauty did not necessarily mean that they were incapable of monstrous behavior. He himself was living proof that death could come wrapped-up in a pretty package and among youkai it was often the most beautiful ones that were the deadliest.

However, no youkai would have reacted the way Rin had once she realized that she was about to kill Hiten. She was soft in a way that few individuals, be they human or youkai, could ever be. For certain she was nothing like the miko he'd come across who would sooner purify him as look at him. All in all, she was thoroughly non-threatening and he would hardly describe her as being a monster, no matter how powerful she was.

Sesshoumaru slowly brought his eyes back to hers, knowing that she was still waiting for him to give her a reply. Leaning down, he deliberately placed a clawed hand on the bed next to her head and waited until she turned her head to look at it.

He felt his hair sliding over his shoulder to mingle with the black strand spread out across his bed as he asked her softly, "Tell me, girl, have you ever eviscerated a man with your bare hands?"

She quickly turned her head to stare at him with wide eyes before breathing out a faint, "no."

"Oh? Then have you taken a sword and dismembered a man? Have you burned villages to the ground? Have you hunted men fleeing from a losing battle and cut them down?"

If possible, her eyes widened even more and she shook her head. He could see her struggling not to ask one simple question: "Have you done those things?"

"I do not have conscience, girl, no, Rin. If our positions had been reversed in that hallway, I would not have stopped myself from killing Hiten. In fact, I was more than ready to kill him myself anyways for overstepping his bounds."

He removed the hand that he'd placed next to her head and held it before his face, flexing his claws to insure that she paid close attention to the fact that he wasn't human.

"I am not the one to speak to about your human insecurities and fears. I cannot relate to you and I would not trust me with your life if I were you. But I can tell you this, I do not lie. You are no more a monster than I am kind. A person must choose his or her own path and I have chosen one soaked in blood."

Rin stared at him for a long time after he'd finished speaking and he figured that perhaps now she could see the futility of viewing him as anything more than her master, and a cold one at that.

He watched through narrow eyes as she brought herself upright and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She visibly swallowed and he suppressed a smirk, thinking that she was, at last, going to show him the proper amount of fear - thus putting a stop to his unnatural bouts of confusion.

However, instead of getting up to leave, as he thought she would, she cautiously reached up to catch the hand he was still holding up before her between her own.

He controlled the reflex that urged him to pull away because she was human and, therefore, not allowed to touch him. Instead - after reminding himself that she needed to understand the insurmountable differences between them - he held himself very still and watched her.

He could feel the calluses on her tiny hands as they explored his own - and they told him that she was the type to work for herself if possible. The taiyoukai didn't blink as she measured the circumference of his wrist with the thumb and forefinger of her right hand - she couldn't quite get them all the way around. He absently wondered how much space would be left over if he measured her dainty wrist with his much longer fingers.

Abandoning his wrist, she brushed both of thumbs over his palm, locating and exploring the calluses left behind by his swordsmanship. She let a small 'hmm' as she rubbed the toughened skin before running a finger up to glide ever so gently over the very tip of his claw.

The enticing scent of her blood reached him just as she winced and pulled her hands away. Apparently, she hadn't been prepared for just how sharp his nails were. She cradled her left hand for a moment before bringing her other hand up once more to cup his.

This garnered an eyebrow raise from him and she responded with a gently disarming smile...right before she brought his hand down and laid her cheek against his palm.

His entire body froze and he couldn't take his eyes away from hers as she asked with unfeigned innocence, "How many people have you killed with this hand?"

Since things had just taken a turn towards the incredibly weird - well, perhaps surreal would be a better word - he found himself answering her without thinking.

"More than I can count."

She made that little 'hmm' sound in the back of her throat again and said, "That's a little scary...but I can't seem to get out of my head the fact that you've used these hands - which are built for killing - so gently on me."

He nearly choked. They'd just spent almost two hours figuring out what to do with each other and their positions - hers in relation to his - and here she was ignoring all of that. He wanted to jerk away but his youki chose that time rear its ugly head and comment on the fact that her cheek was the most astonishingly soft thing he'd ever felt.

He settled for narrowing his eyes at her and saying in a hard voice, "I am not human."

"So you keep reminding me." she replied mildly, her smile still in place.

"Most humans cannot abide youkai," he reminded her, wondering if she had forgotten what the norm was for their two cultures.

"I'm not most humans," she returned.

"You are also a miko," he said.

"No, I'm a girl with the same type of powers as a miko. I am untrained and, therefore, not obligated to fight you nor was I raised to hate you."

"I assumed that we had reached an understanding about your position here," he said, not so subtly reminding her that she had nodded along when he was explaining to her what a monster he was.

Her smile brightened and she said in a pleasant tone, "I agreed, since I figured that you, undoubtedly, know yourself better than anyone else. However, that doesn't mean I'll completely change my personality just for you. I resolved to show you more respect, not pretend to be a coward."

Sesshoumaru stared at Rin, and felt the beginnings of something he had never felt towards another individual: respect.

"I won't tell you how much of a comfort you've been to me these past few hours, since I don't think you're ready to hear that. Well, that and you probably wouldn't believe me if I explained how I came to a number of conclusions about you. But," and she pulled her cheek away before _very_ lightly running the fingers of her right hand over the stripes adorning his wrists, "I am definitely starting to see more and more why my Brother followed you."

"He feared me...as should you," the taiyoukai replied coolly.

She withdrew her hand from his and waved her other one in a dismissive gesture. It effectively reminded him that she was still bleeding and he forced himself not to react to the spicy scent of her blood lest he do something humiliating - like catch her hand and lick it clean.

Thankfully, she stopped waving her hand about almost as soon as she'd begun and blushed instead.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I was being disrespectful just now," she said.

He tilted his head to the side in inquiry and it was a testament to how observant she was because she correctly interpreted his gesture and replied by way of explanation, "Well, I did say that going to try to be more respectful."

"Is it not a bit abrupt to decide that?" he queried.

"Call it an even trade for your promise to be honest with me," she said with a grin.

"I've no need to lie to you," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Of course, but I'm still grateful to you for being honest," her grin slipped and a shadow crept into her vibrant eyes as she continued in a quieter tone, "you have no idea just how often human lie to one another and how much it means to me for at least one person to tell me the truth."

There it was again, that faint hint of darkness in her demeanor that spoke of sadness and far more frustration than someone her age should have harbored.

Sesshoumaru felt that faint fluttering deep in the pit of his stomach that told him that she was having an effect on him again. He was in danger of doing something foolish for the umpteenth time that day, so he did the only thing he could.

Slowly, he extricated himself from her hand and looked away from her soulful eyes.

"This has gone on for too long," he said, "It is time you left."

"Oh," she said, and he felt rather than saw her turn to look at the windows in his chamber. The sun has set a while ago and he could make out the sound of crickets chirping far below his window.

"I didn't realize it was so late. Forgive me, Sesshoumaru-Sama," Rin said hastily, giving him a quick bow before turning and heading for the door.

"This conversing between us..." his monotone voice stopped her right at the door and she turned back towards him to indicate that he had her undivided attention.

"...this...interlude will not happen again," he needed more than anything to make it clear that he was not the sort to sit down and talk with her over mundane matters.

He didn't think he'd said anything funny but the smile she bestowed upon him was equal parts amused and soft - almost fond - in nature.

"I realize that, Sesshoumaru-Sama, which is why I got in as much as I could. I said it before and I'll say it again, you aren't ready to hear everything I have to say."

With that, she bowed again and made her exit, gently closing the door behind her.

He stared at it a long moment before it was slid back once again and Rin poked her head through to give him a semi-stern look.

"There's more thing I have to say before I watch you put up a new wall between the two of us. I'm glad you're going be honest with me but sometimes it's even more important to be honest with yourself." And with that cryptic remark, which was unbefitting someone so young, she retracted her head and closed the door once more.

As he listened to her footsteps moving away from his door, he sat down on the edge of his bed and reached up to rub the bridge of his nose. It had been a long confusing day and he was ready for it to over.

_'I need to find someone to train her, first thing tomorrow,'_ he thought wearily. He didn't think he could take another day spent almost entirely in the company of one troublesome, infuriating...and utterly fascinating human girl, named Rin.

She made him act like a completely different person and, more than ever, he knew he needed to keep his distance. Letting out a sigh, he rubbed his finger over his lips in consternation.

The gesture brought the scent of her blood to him and he stared at the tiny speck of crimson on the very tip on his claw where Rin had cut herself.

His youki perked right up and urged him to have a little taste but he resisted, telling himself that it would just as base for him to give into his instinct to lick it off as it had been for him to wag his tail.

Still, it taunted him, that tiny fleck of red and he stared out of his window at the myriad of stars winking back at him as if they could give him an answer to his dilemma.

'_False, hope,'_ he thought to himself before letting out his deepest sigh yet and bringing his finger to his mouth.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hope ya'll liked. Not too much romance just yet but Sessy-darling is going to fall and fall hard before I'm through with him. Mwahahaha. Anyway, please let me know what you think and how I can improve.


	16. Plotting

Sorry for the long delay in updating. I haven't forgotten about this story and I know many of you were worried that I had dropped it. I'm sorry for scaring you.

I owe many thanks to my dear readers, I really appreciate that you stuck with me.

Many hugs and enjoy the story.

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 14**

**Plotting**

Rin plopped herself down on her bed with a sigh. Being around Sesshoumaru wreaked havoc on her senses. He made her bold in ways that were both disturbing and exhilarating and she blushed as she remembered him leaning over her as she stared up at him from his bed. To be sure, he was menacing but, at the same time, she was more aware of herself as a young, unattached woman whenever he was around. There was such a contrast between the two of them and yet…she closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

_'I don't like him,'_ she reminded herself but she knew it to be a half-truth. She didn't know him well enough to like him but he'd shown her enough of his good points that it was unfair for her to write him off completely.

_'He hasn't hurt me, though he could,'_ the young woman thought. He'd comforted her in his own way as well and he had no idea how much that meant to someone like her.

Shifting to her side, she stared at the hand where she'd cut herself on his claws, remembering the feel of smooth skin that gave way to sword-calloused palms. That had been a surprise since she thought that, like human rulers, he would be the type to let everyone else do his working and fighting for him. His pretty face didn't help matters but, now that she thought on it, his face wasn't _that_ feminine. When he was close and glaring at her with those intense golden eyes of his, there hadn't been a single question in her mind that he was a male in every sense of the word.

She sighed again and rolled over onto her back. Being around Sesshoumaru was draining at best and she wasn't doing herself any favors by dwelling on him in the solitude of her room. What she wanted and needed, even though her stomach was beginning to rumble in a most un-ladylike way due to hunger, was rest. Besides, she had a feeling that she wouldn't be going anywhere for quite a while and figured she had plenty of time to work out a course of action.

However things turned out, she was beginning to see another path opening up before her. Yes, she could attempt an escape but she had the craziest feeling that Sesshoumaru wouldn't let her go easily and, oddly enough, some of her eagerness to leave him and his castle full of bitter subjects had waned.

If she examined it from a different and, admittedly, more selfish angle she was free of the constraints placed upon her by her adopted father for the first time in years. There was no one for her to be paraded in front of for the purpose of auctioning her off like some kind of horse. There was no reason for her to curb her tongue, except in the interests of self-preservation, and she had the protection - whether he would admit to it or not - of one of the most powerful beings in existence.

Opportunity was everywhere and she found herself grinning as she examined a mural of a giant dog that had been painted on a sheet of wood and affixed to the ceiling. She missed her parents, of course, but there wasn't much she could do to fix that and she wasn't about to waste the chance she now had.

Rin admitted to herself, as sleep was claiming her body, that she also wouldn't mind getting to know the Taiyoukai a bit better before her stay ended. Who knew what the future held?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hiten sat in a tree and brooded. His arm felt as if it were on fire and he knew it would take days for his body to finish purging the lingering traces of purifying energy from his wound so that it could heal properly.

His pride had taken a serious blow and he seethed with anger as he ran the events leading up to his injury over and over in his head. Logically, he knew that it was more-or-less his own fault but that did nothing to sooth his temper.

The Thunder Clan had always been a proud lot. Unfortunately, that same pride was what led to the demise of all but three of its members - his younger brother, sister, and his self were all that was left. As the eldest sibling, and also the strongest remaining member of the clan, he was the shining example they looked up to. He was the one who needed to guide and protect the only family he had left and the thought of becoming less in their eyes because he'd been injured by a human girl, who was really little more than a light snack to him, was painful.

Though his clan had been a vicious lot, conversely, they were fiercely loyal to members of their families and the trust and loyalty of his siblings was more valuable to him than life itself.

Sitting back, he rested his head against the rough bark of the tree and brought forth an image of the little human girl from the depths of his memory. "Little" was an accurate description of her, she barely reached his shoulders, and she was pretty enough that Manten would have loved to use her in a tonic to bring back his missing hair. As for himself, she was a tasty-looking morsel and he had no qualms about ignoring Sesshoumaru's dictates and using her as a snack.

The taiyoukai was a laughing stock among many of his noble subjects due to the scandal with his father and he hadn't done himself any favors by bringing in a human male and _now_ a human female. Kuroko was all but ready to snatch his power away.

She'd amassed an army right under Sesshoumaru's nose and those who had been on the fence about joining her were inexorably moving towards her cause because of this latest debacle with the human girl. After the insult the taiyoukai had dealt his subjects in the courtyard and the disrespectful way the girl had treated Kuroko, Hiten knew that the female Raven-youkai's pride wouldn't stand for much more.

He personally preferred to watch from a distance, staying uninvolved with either side because, in his experience, nothing good ever came of political coups. Either the rebels were crushed or a new regime was established that was bad as or worse than the former one. Very rarely did the "subjects" - in this case the lower youkai and lesser nobility such as himself - actually benefit. Too, he had to think of his siblings.

Souten was too young to truly understand the concept of overthrowing an established ruler and Manten wanted to join the rebels in order to have a good fight, not because he had a particular dislike for Sesshoumaru.

Hiten was wise enough to know when he was outclassed - he'd seen Sesshoumaru fight - but it hadn't prevented him from making his recent error in judgment regarding the girl. He had thought that she was easy prey, like most of her race, but he should have known that Sesshoumaru would take it one step further and bring a miko, the most hated of humans, into his domain. And she was a powerful one at that.

It was suicidal and utterly unheard of but brilliant nonetheless and he could respect the taiyoukai's boldness and power. If the young lord could get the girl to obey him, he'd have a formidable weapon on his hands. There were few youkai _didn't_ know of the other miko, the one called Kikyou who had turned the tide of the war in the humans' favor. Entire hordes of youkai had been wiped out by her alone and there were whispers that she was something more than human.

He wouldn't have put stock in such tales, except he'd just learned firsthand what an angry miko could do and it wasn't a lesson he would soon forget.

"Rin," he said her name quietly and knew that he would never forget her or what she had done to him.

He would also never forget the sight of her staring at him wide-eyed and tearful as she apologized to him, her attacker - he smirked at that.

'_Odd girl,'_' he thought as he swung his legs over the branch and slid off, gracefully landing on the ground some fifty feet below. As he contemplated his next move he had a fleeting image of the little human girl again, but this time her body was haloed in blue as she glared at him like some sort of avenging goddess. A single word rose up in his mind as he made his way back to the castle.

"Beautiful."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kuroko paced from one end of her chambers to the other. Her kimono whispered behind her as it trailed across the stone floor and the silk fairly crackled whenever she turned, belying her agitation.

Her mind was a seething mass of anger and hurt pride and she was itching to kill something or, more specifically, someone - preferably a certain impudent human girl.

Across the room hazel eyes, that were a match to hers, watched. A frown creased their owner's brow and he let out a sigh of annoyance, resting his head on his hand.

The female youkai caught the tiny sound and she halted her strides, whipping around to glare at her older brother.

"Do you have something to say, Kuromaru?"

The other watarigarasu youkai blinked and slowly shook his head. He knew his youngest sibling well enough to know when to let her stew and when to speak up. She obviously needed to let off steam so he kept quiet while she vented and muttered under her breath about Sesshoumaru and his pet human and how they had humiliated her and how she was going to get even and blah, blah, blah.

He held back a yawn.

Though, there was no mistaking his kinship to Kuroko - he looked just like her thought he had no markings around his eyes and his height and build proclaimed him a male - his temperament was vastly different.

Whereas his sister had delusions of grandeur - delusions that had carefully been nurtured by his father - he was of a mellower sort. He was content to allow things to progress naturally in regards to obtaining power. His father was the head of their clan and he was next in line but Kuroko, to their father's way of thinking - which was rather old-fashioned in his opinion - was primarily on the planet for only two things. She was fated to be married and have children.

Naturally, their father had never expressed that particular opinion of women around his daughter. He wanted her to fly fairly high up the ladder of eligible suitors before clipping her wings, so he'd allowed her to more-or-less do as she pleased as long as she brought more power to their family.

Their father, Kuromaru had decided a long time ago, was rather power mad - much like his predecessors. Their clan had always been one of the lesser ones. They were numerous but weak and they were carrion eaters, just like their animal cousins, the ravens, were. The Watarigarasu clan was also well known as a group of opportunists so there was little trust between them and other youkai. It made moving up in the world much more difficult.

Honestly, if Sesshoumaru hadn't sent out the call for his subjects to join his war against humanity, they would have stayed home and things would have stayed the same. He would inherit the title of Lord over his clan and Kuroko would have been married to someone powerful enough to appease his father's pride.

As it was, when he told his father he was going to join Sesshoumaru's cause for his own reasons - reasons that had everything to do with Kuroko and the huge secret she was keeping from their father and the rest of their clan - his father had sent his sister along.

Much to his dismay, the lord had also given her the order to secure power for herself and the rest of the clan. Kuromaru knew his father well enough to know that, in the leader's mind, "securing power" for any female child of his meant he wanted her to marry a man of stature. He'd bet his left wing that his father was angling for the all-powerful Lord of the West.

Unfortunately, the old man had miscalculated in one vital area - his daughter herself. Apparently, she'd figured out their father's plans for her and had decided to do things her own way. Granted, he had seen the attraction she immediately held for Sesshoumaru - as most women did the first time they laid eyes on him.

However, Sesshoumaru was one those men who was beautiful...until he opened his mouth. Any attraction Kuroko might have held had taken a flying leap from the nearest window the moment the young lord had ordered her to stop throwing off her scent like a *female-dog* (not his exact words) in heat and do something productive.

Hence, Kuroko had decided to "productively" take his kingdom out from under him and keep it for herself. Wounded pride was a terrible thing and everything Sesshoumaru did seemed to irritate her no end. It was at the point that she sincerely believed that she had the right to steal someone else's land and that she could do it with impunity.

Kuromaru sighed and his sister's glare deepened. She folded her arms across her ample breasts and said coldly, "Is there something you would like to share with the rest of us?"

He gave her a lazy smile in response and rose to his feet, walking over to her. His sister was tall but he had her by a good head and he delighted in towering over her because he knew that it irked her to have to tilt her head to look back at him.

Kuroko was such a joy to tease and he fondly recalled a time when she used to toddle after him and he could do no wrong in her eyes. _'Well, we know what happened to change that, don't we?'_ he thought and his amusement slipped away like a fleeting spring breeze. As easygoing as he was, he was also protective of his family, which was practically unheard of in his clan, and his protectiveness made him a formidable enemy when roused. And nothing angered him more than thinking about _that_ man.

His sister had always been a bit spoiled but now she was bitter and twisted because of a _human_ man. He harbored no great hatred for humankind but he despised one member of the race in particular and he'd pursued him all the way to Sesshoumaru's lands under the pretense of offering himself up for the young lord's cause. Kuroko had issues that had existed long before they left their lands and she was insulted by Sesshoumaru. Personally he was torn between forcing her to give up on her plans because Sesshoumaru was no one to be trifled with and she was liable to get herself hurt and using the political unrest to seek out that man who had ruined his sister's life. He didn't know the human's name but he knew his face very well. He'd seen it in miniature for the past six years. Speaking of which....he had news for his sister.

"Kuroko, I received a letter from Sanae-San. She wanted to report on _his_ progress."

His words had the expected effect and he bit back a curse as her pale face flushed red and she shoved away from him, sitting herself down in the chair he'd abandoned and pointedly looking away from him. He should have known better than to broach such a sensitive subject but she was living with denial and he didn't like seeing her so unhappy. She needed to get used to her position in life, otherwise she was just going to make herself, him, and certain other individuals unhappy.

"Kuroko, you can't keep running away. He's made incredible strides and he's shaping up to be something special. Don't you want to see…?"

She shot him such a glare that he automatically shut his mouth and said coldly, "I don't want to hear _his_ name. I don't want to hear about _his_ 'progress_.'_ I _want_ him to disappear and stop haunting me. I _want_ to be left alone. Stop trying to stick your beak in my business."

Silence fell and he allowed a few moments to pass before he spoke again.

"You don't _have_ business Kuroko," Kuromaru said quietly. Though his voice was low, she knew him well enough to detect the fury contained therein.

"_He_ affects the clan just as much as you do. What do you think father would say or _do_ if he knew?"

"Hopefully he would take care of _my_ problem," his sister muttered under her breath.

That was too much for him, he strode over to where she sat and bent down so that they were almost nose to nose.

"Don't try me, girl. You may be my sister but I am stronger and I _will_ be your lord one day. I have put up with your self-pity. I've allowed you to follow a course that I personally feel is foolish and suicidal. But I will _not_ allow you to run away from your mess. There are far worse things than _his_ existence and if you don't stop acting like a child, I can and _will_ undo all the work you've put into stealing a kingdom you have no right to."

She glared at him and he matched it with one of his own, daring her to utter another disparaging word about his charge. Even he had his limits and she knew better than to push him past them.

Slowly, she lowered her eyes and said quietly, "I still won't acknowledge him."

"Whether you choose to do so or not, I intend to when I take over headship of our clan."

"You'll be a laughingstock."

"Our clan is already the butt of every youkai joke. I could care less what others think and you obviously didn't care at some point otherwise you wouldn't have gotten yourself in the predicament you're in."

"So, you're saying it's my fault, is that it?" She narrowed her eyes as him as her voice raised once more. He took note that her long nails were slowly morphing into talons, a sure sign of her agitation. He was nothing if not a smart man and he knew when it would be prudent to relent, if only because he didn't want to hurt his sister if she forced him to defend himself.

Kuromaru deliberately kept his voice calm as he replied, "I am saying you are not entirely innocent of all blame. I know you sister. Whether you like it or not, I _know_ you. I knew what you were doing. Father never bothered to know the real you and I understand why you wanted to rebel against him. But that ploy backfired and now you're stuck. It's no longer about you, Kuroko."

If possible, her glare grew even harder but she said nothing and he knew she had nothing more to say to him on the subject. He was right and she knew it.

Stifling a sigh at how stubborn his sister was, he backed away and ran a hand through his long hair black hair. He supposed now was as bad a time as any to tell her his plans. His sister wasn't going to happy with what he was about to say but his mind was made up.

"Kuroko, I'm planning on going home for a bit."

That got her to sit up straight and take notice. Her eyes widened a bit before she pasted a bored look on her face.

"And why should I care what you do?" she asked with a nonchalance that didn't fool him one bit. His sister hadn't changed in one respect: she hated doing things by herself. She liked to hide her need in the guise of giving orders and the like but the long and short of it was that she needed to be surrounded with people, whether they were servants or peers. He had no idea where that part of her personality came from but it had never quite disappeared, even after all she had been through.

Hiding a smile, he replied, "I'm going to pay father a visit. I don't think he's much longer for this world. I also want to see you-know-who since you can't be bothered to check on him."

Kuroko snorted and said, in a voice laden with sarcasm, "I'm sure Sanae-_San_ will enjoy having you visit. That's probably the only reason she took him in, because it was her precious Kuromaru-Sama asking her for help."

"Careful, Kuroko-_Chan_, your claws are showing," he matched her sarcasm with his own.

"Besides, sister, there's no longer anything between Sanae-San and I," he continued, "We are merely friends at this point in time. She's more than happy to help me out and I am grateful to her for that." What he didn't mention was that he planned to bring a surprise back for his sister and he had every intention of seeing that his surprise wouldn't come to harm when Kuroko caught on to what he was trying to do.

"Well, whatever you do, brother, make sure it doesn't come back to me. I'm at a crucial stage in my plan right now and I don't need anything that could upset the balance of power."

"But of course…" he said mildly, adding a silent "not" on the end of his sentence. He not only planned to upset the balance of power, he planned to remove it completely from his sister's clutches before she got them all killed.

She nodded curtly and turned to leave his room.

He allowed her to depart in silence before reaching up and rubbing his temples. He had a plan and if all went well he would catch the human he'd been hunting and, hopefully, help his sister to find peace at last. If not…well, he'd probably lose his life, leaving the little one he sought so desperately to protect defenseless.

It was a disquieting thought and he sat down once more to brood over the wisdom of his chosen course.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sesshoumaru watched from his window as the sun rose and slowly closed his eyes, wondering how the night had passed him by. Of course the question fell under the category of "rhetorical" because he knew full well what - or, rather, who - had been on his mind and why.

If he rolled his tongue he could still taste the faint bittersweet copper of her blood and he frowned. He'd spent an entire night thinking - and regretting his lack of a need to sleep for the first time - about Rin and he was still no closer to figuring out why she acted the way she did. Frustrated didn't begin to describe him.

There had been one benefit, however, of his long night of contemplation. He had concluded that the only way he could even begin to understand Rin was to watch and wait. And while he waited, he would look into finding someone to train his young human girl. Though she was obviously unskilled, her power was real and he wanted it to be at his disposal when Kuroko finally made her move to dethrone him. Her brother had informed him a few weeks before his capture that he intended to visit their ancestral home for a bit and Sesshoumaru had been more than happy to let him go – knowing that Kuroko probably wouldn't make her move unless her brother was there. It gave him more time to finalize his plans for cleaning up his kingdom and ridding himself of the rebels, like Kuromaru's sister, who threatened the harmony of said kingdom.

Opening his eyes once again, he turned from the window and walked to the wall next to the door. Concentrating, he gently roused the youki dwelling within the stones and breathed deeply as he joined his own power to it and prodded it along the network laid out over his castle. Filtering out the various sounds and scents native to his home he sought out Jaken's room and sent just the tiniest spurt of his energy through the network, just enough to make the youki spark and deliver a not-so-mild shock to his noisy servant.

His sensitive ears picked up Jaken's squawk of surprise as he was unceremoniously roused from his slumber and he almost withdrew his hand, knowing that the first thing Jaken would do was seek him out. However, a thought occurred to him and he sent another thread of power out in a different direction, to Rin's room in particular.

Allowing his senses to meld into the network, he cast his hearing outwards and tuned it in on her room. He could hear her heart beating slowly and rhythmically, telling him that she was still asleep. He could have easily withdrawn then but his curiosity got the better of him and he concentrated even more. This time, in addition to using the residual youki to listen, he decided to see if he could use it to see as well.

There was a faint twinge in the back of his head but it wasn't enough to alarm him. Concentrating hard and closing his eyes he waited.

Slowly, the darkness behind his eye lids and in his mind's eye began to lighten - going from gray, to white and gradually adding colors until he had an extremely fragmented view of his former room and its occupant. It was dizzying because he was looking in so many directions at once, rather like the compound eyes on an insect and he concentrated even more. Forcing the youki scattered across her room to collect into one specific point so that he could see properly.

Colors broke apart and rippled before crashing together again and reshaping themselves into a clear picture of the room and the girl occupying it.

Rin lay curled up on his old bed and he couldn't help but marvel again at how little she was. It was so strange for a fragile human to have so much power. He allowed himself to briefly remember how very soft and fine her hair had been and the sight of her liquid eyes staring at him in a way that an acknowledged monster like his self would never have imagined was possible.

The taiyoukai was tempted to see if he could extend his youki once more and modify another one of his senses – maybe touch - but another twinge in the back of his head told him that wasn't a very wise decision. He slowly withdrew from the room and allowed the extra power he'd harnessed to drain away. Rin's image faded from his mind and his hearing returned to normal. He opened his eyes and immediately shut them again as a wave of dizziness washed over him. The gray stone beneath his feet heaved – though it was his body that was unsteady - and he knew that he'd been in danger of hurting himself by tapping into so much power when he hadn't nourished himself for weeks. He could go for quite a while without eating but he hadn't taken in sustenance for quite a while, the human blood back in the town was of little help besides helping his body to heal.

A knock sounded at the door and he took in a few deep breaths, calming his nerves, before saying in as normal a voice as possible, "Enter."

Jaken hustled in and bowed low as he said, "Ah Sesshoumaru-Sama, your faithful servant has awoken fit and ready to serve."

The young lord inclined his head and replied, "I have work for you. First, have food sent here to me. Second, I want you to look up every miko who's squatting on my territory."

"Every miko, my lord?" Jaken looked up, his wide in shock.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at his questioning tone and Jaken wisely snapped his mouth shut and said, "Yes, yes. Of course. Every miko."

"I want the latter assignment done by noon."

"Yes, of course, by noon," the tiny toad parroted back.

"That is all, Jaken, leave me," he turned his back on the tiny youkai, dismissing him.

The toad wisely did as he was told and Sesshoumaru waited until the door closed behind him before he sat down on his bed and gripped his head between his hands. He had the makings of a serious headache and he needed food in the worst way. The taiyoukai made a mental note to refrain from using his experimental ability to cast his sight outwards using his youki and that of the castle's without taking in additional energy first. Still, and a tiny smirk touched his lips, he definitely wanted to test it out again, perhaps see if there was a way to do it without draining himself too much.

He was confident that there wasn't anyone alive who could best him in battle but he had also never done something as potentially dangerous as raising a miko in his own household. If the girl somehow got it into her head to escape or turn on him, he wanted to have as much of an advantage as possible.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

I apologize again for the long delay and the slow chapter. I can't have pure Sess/Rin all the time. No worries though, they'll interact with each other again, soon enough. New characters coming up in the next chapter maybe and we'll find out who's going to train Rin and what our favorite monk and his slayer are doing. As always, please read and review.


	17. Miko

I am so sorry for the incredibly long delay. I know I probably scared many of you. Thank you so much for sticking with this fic and let me assure you again that I have no intention of abandoning this story.

Personally, I am relieved to finish this chapter which I've been putting together bit my bit for the past months wherever I could steal the time. Between a full time job and the process of getting my wedding together I've been reduced to working on this fic using Word on my phone when the boss wasn't looking. I apologize ahead of time for any mistakes since it's a whole different ball game to type on a phone versus a computer.

Usually I would list everyone who would review but I'll forgo it this time in favor of giving everyone a whole hearted "thank you" and a sincere wish that you'll enjoy this chapter, brief though it is.

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 15**

**Miko**

Sesshoumaru absently tapped his chopsticks against the porcelain dish upon which his meal lay. It had been relatively simple fare, a big heaping slab of meat from a lesser youkai - uncooked and marginally seasoned - that had been carefully sliced and artfully arranged on a plate. Some lords he knew would have turned their nose up at such a plain meal but he usually didn't care what he ate as long as it provided him with the boost he needed and didn't kill him - something that was extraordinarily hard due to the naturally flowing poison in his veins.

The good thing about the dish he'd been served was that it was an excellent source of energy. Cooking his food, particularly in the case of youkai meat, tended to break down the remaining youki which meant it wouldn't provide near as much energy when consumed. Fruits and vegetables were out of the question. Though he appeared human on the outside, his tastes in food ran purely to the canine side of his nature.

It was a luxury really for him to have time for himself but he couldn't really complain since he needed it to rest and recharge his body. He also liked that it allowed him to sit and think while doing something as mundane, for him, as eating a meal. The current object of his contemplation was the list Jaken had provided of all of the miko in the surrounding areas who might be able to train Rin.

He was perfectly capable of handling even the most zealous, youkai-hating miko - the two women who had captured him were the exception and even then it was partly because they caught him by surprise. Hence, he didn't foresee any problems with keeping the woman he selected under control. His capture had been a first for him and he had every intention of making sure it was his last.

As golden eyes perused the parchment, their owner had to admit that Jaken had his uses. Not only was the information up to date, it would seem that the tiny youkai had been keeping tabs on every miko in his territory for years. For once, he was grateful for the toad's paranoia since, in this case, it had saved him quite a bit of time.

He had decided that what he needed was a miko who was powerful enough to make Rin useful but not so old and set in her ways that she tried to purify every youkai on sight. Based on tat criteria alone, he had cut the list down to half. He also didn't want a miko so young that she had little to no experience and fainted at the sight of some of his more inhuman subjects. His second criterion effectively narrowed his list down to a quarter of its original size. It would seem that the type he wanted was in short supply due to the war.

He didn't know how long he sat there, eating his food almost absently as he read over the various histories of the miko on his list, but he eventually narrowed it down to three women.

The first two women were named Rei Kusanagi and Yuki Matsumoto - their profiles were pretty similar. Both were fairly young but not children and both were heavily relied upon by their respective villages. However, Rei was currently on _very_ familiar terms with the son of a local lord which would make things annoying if she went missing. Yuki, on the other hand, had a reputation for being particularly vicious in dispatching youkai. Her profile indicated that her entire village had been razed to the ground by one of the Ookami clans and, knowing wolf youkai the way he did, he knew it would not have been pretty. Therefore, he mentally crossed her name off of the list. He did not need her filling Rin's head with anti-youkai sentiments.

Letting out a sigh after crossing off both names, he looked at the third and final woman. He had mixed feelings about the last miko. She had been categorized as one of the weaker ones and he would have ignored her if it weren't for the fact that Jaken seemed to have recently added new information, judging by the dark color and fresh scent of the ink.

Upon reading the tiny youkai's notations, he had felt his eyes widen. The woman, Tsubaki was her name, had apparently trained alongside Kikyo, the miko who had captured him and upset his plans of conquest - if the whispers he'd caught from the men outside of his cage were to be believed.

He might have had some reservations about their relationship if it wasn't for the fact that she had been banished to the shrine in the middle of nowhere and her powers sealed away. The reason for her punishment had been an attack on Kikyo's person. The details of the assault were vague but he didn't care about that, the woman was the enemy of his enemy and that was enough for him to give her a second look.

The fact that her powers had to be sealed told him that she had been formidable in her prime. In short, she was a skilled miko who had the knowledge he needed while lacking the power to be dangerous.

She was a good candidate…almost too good to be true.

He tapped a claw against the table and weighed the pros and cons of choosing Tsubaki. As a general rule, youkai and miko did not mix and he knew nothing about the woman's personality. Too, there was always the chance that the woman would refuse him, not that it mattered to him whether she was willing or not. The Lord of the West was not accustomed to being denied and he did not believe in bending for anyone.

'_Except you bent for Rin,'_ a traitorous inner voice whispered and he briefly closed his eyes, fighting the curiosity that rose up whenever he thought about the girl. Now was hardly the time for him to be wondering if she had slept well or not. Nor was it time to give into the temptation to see what new and unusual thing she was going to do. He had stretched his senses earlier that morning just far enough to ascertain that she was awake before hastily pulling them away before he did something foolish and unbecoming of a lord of his stature.

'_**Like roll over on your back so she can scratch your belly,' **_this time it was his youki presenting ludicrous suggestions and he grimaced, knowing that yet again, his inmost thoughts were surfacing.

Highborn youkai were taught from birth to control their instinctual desires. The creed had always been: "Just because you feel like doing it, doesn't mean you should." Though they had animal characteristics, they were expected to rise above their baser inclinations and reason like intelligent beings. And right now, he was doing a poor job of it.

Shaking his head, he rose and set his chopsticks down. Jaken would send someone to collect the dishes after he left. For now, he had an outcast miko to track down and plans to make.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

1...

2...

3...

Breathe.

1...

2...

3...

Breathe.

He counted each heartbeat, spacing each three-second interval with a deep breath. It was a pattern that he had grown familiar with over the years of his imprisonment...and yes, he knew it had been years since he had been sealed there. Years since that..._girl_...pinned him to the wood of the tree like some sort of macabre decoration while the tree continued to grow and the roots rose above the ground to cradle his legs.

1...

2...

3...

Breathe.

His ritual gave him something to focus on, a way to nurture his sanity lest darkness rise up and choke out his existence once and for all.

It had always been there, on the fringes of his consciousness - the dark and untamed beast born of his youkai half. Keeping it in check had been simple when he was able to move about freely and could pick a fight to work off his aggression. However, even before he'd been sealed, he had never been a patient man and his captivity grated on both his human half and the half bestowed upon him by his youkai father.

1...

2...

3...

Breathe.

Even as his mind reached back with firm tendrils and brought forth the memory of that fateful day - the day he had been betrayed - he maintained the cadence of his mental chant. What had began as an exercise to pass the time has long since evolved into a necessity to his very existence and he counted even as he reflected on the past.

1...

The sun had been shining brightly that day, a vivid gem set in a clear azure sky. It had been the type of day that was perfect for meeting..._her_.

2...

He remembered seeing her as she hurried up the road towards him. Most youkai would have been nervous upon catching sight of a woman clad in miko robes with a bow and quiver full of arrows but, not him. No, he had leaned back against the tree and watched her with silent appreciation - enjoying the way her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkled.

3...

Burning, blistering pain as she drove the arrow into his shoulder. The purifying power of the missile was scorching his insides, seeking out and trying to destroy every shred of youki it could find while passing harmlessly over the human parts of his being.

It hurt....it hurt...it hurt...but he did not know which pained him more - his body, his pride, or his heart.

'_Why is she doing this_?' He'd wondered.

'_Why is she telling me how sorry she is when she's hurting me?_'

'_Why is she crying_?'

His eyes grew heavy and slowly...slowly...slowly, darkness poured in from the edges of his vision, swallowing up her image.

Breathe.

As he completed the last part of his ritual his lips twitched for the first time in years and though he didn't have the strength to utter the name out loud yet he mouthed it softly.

'_Kagome_'

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Tsubaki sighed as she slowly drew the broom back and forth. She had awakened to the sun streaming through the windows of her tiny shrine, which also doubled as her house, and felt a brief moment of panic.

Ever since her sealing and subsequent banishment from the capital, she had lived day by day with the fear that a strong enough youkai would drop by and break through the barrier that Kikyo had "kindly" set up around her shrine.

She could admit that her exile was her own fault, though it had taken a number of bitter years to reach that conclusion. However, she hated the fact that she had been reduced to nothing more than a low level miko - she who had once been called the strongest and a protégé.

Her vast powers were a thing of the past and now she was defenseless and reliant on nothing more than a mid-level barrier set up by a miko whose humanity was slowly draining away and her archery skills. Purifying anything more than the lowest-level vermin of the youkai world was beyond her now.

A not-so-tiny prickle at the base of her neck made her pause and she craned her head to the west - in the direction of the castle of the _true_ ruler of the western lands. That same prickle of awareness was what had caused her to wake up in a panic that morning and had kept her on alert the previous afternoon.

Though she couldn't use her powers to fight, Kikyo had mercifully - or unmercifully - allowed her keen senses to remain. She could easily detect any youki within five miles of her home. However, even a miko less skilled at detection than her would have picked up on the massive youki that was destroying her peace of mind.

There had only ever been one creature she'd felt so much power from and the fact that he'd returned to his lands once more meant that she was in for plenty of sleepless nights.

'_Why are you back now of all times Sesshoumaru?' _Tsubaki wondered as she paused in her sweeping and checked the position of the sun.

It was late afternoon now and she sighed at how quickly the day had flown. She needed to get moving on making dinner and a bath would certainly be welcome. Walking over to the side of the shrine, she leaned the broom against the wall and stretched.

Sweeping was a pointless endeavor since she never had visitors and there was only the occasional leaf to get rid of. However, it _was_ one of a number of different, albeit mundane, activities that she engaged in to keep herself occupied and _sane_ - so perhaps it wasn't _that_ pointless.

There wasn't a day that went by that she didn't miss what she had before. The honor and prestige that belonged to a powerful miko, especially during a war against youkai, was nothing to sneeze at but, even more than that, she missed being around her fellow miko. She hadn't been the most sociable of people but she _had_ enjoyed watching the young girls come in - frightened and uncertain - then seeing them leave with skill and confidence.

It had always fascinated her how different each miko was. There were some who were powerful in one area but weaker in others, some had taken up the sword instead of the bow and could best any number of men, and still others could create barriers that were nearly impossible to break unless a youkai of Sesshoumaru's caliber came along.

Tsubaki had been a miko with a solid mixture of offensive and defensive talents. And, until Kikyo had come along, she had been considered by many to be the strongest. She hadn't considered herself to be overly prideful before but something about the eldest of the two Higurashi sisters rubbed her raw. In her foolish competitiveness, she'd discovered a side of herself that was ugly and she knew, especially after her banishment, that a part of her had been twisted beyond recovery.

There were many things about her situation that she could fault herself with but it didn't change the fact that she wanted nothing to do with Kikyo. Yes, she'd had a narrow miss and she shuddered to think about how easily it could have been herself in Kikyo's place. If having power meant that you had to give up your sanity, she'd gladly live out the rest of her life in a tiny shrine perched on the side of a mountain. Still, a part of her resented the fact that Kikyo was always ahead of her in everything and that resentment had festered into hate. In turn, that hate had moved her to do something exceedingly foolish.

'_I was a fool,''_ she thought to herself as she headed for the entrance to her shrine.

She was just reaching for the door when a distant surge in power stopped her in her tracks. Eyes widening, she felt her body begin to tremble as she slowly turned to look in the direction of Sesshoumaru's castle. The prickle was now a full-fledged stab of awareness that raised the hairs on the back of her neck and sent her scrambling to open her door.

Running past the main room with its tiny altar, she entered her sleeping room and snatched up her bow and arrows, fumbling to get the holder over her shoulders. Her heart was pounding in her ears and it felt as if that...that creature moved a mile closer with every heartbeat.

There were any number of questions she could have asked herself but the two that kept on repeating themselves in her mind were: Why is _he_ coming here? Why now?

Dashing to the wall next to the door, she pressed herself flat against its cool surface and peered cautiously around the doorway, keen eyes scanning the skies. She knew exactly who was heading her way and she knew, in her heart of hearts, that he was coming for her.

The miko forced her hands to steady and drew an arrow from her quiver, bringing it up to her lips and saying tiny blessing over it that made the wood hum and vibrate as her power latched onto the smooth shaft. Nocking the arrow onto the bow, she pulled the string taut and waited.

Of course, she was not so foolish as to think that she had the power to wound, let alone kill, the monster heading for her - even at her prime she would have been no match for him. However, she still had her pride and she would make sure that she went down fighting.

A glimmer of light shone on the horizon and she squinted, trying to make him out against the backdrop of the late noon sun. The ball of light grew in size until it was equal in height to a man and she tried not to notice just how fast it was approaching.

Taking a deep breath and then another she watched as it slowed to a hover a hundred feet or so above her courtyard. Then, ever so slowly, it descended, the light gradually fading until her visitor was revealed in all of his terrible glory and she let go of the second breath she'd taken, having forgotten to let it out.

It was so hard to stare at him and know that she wasn't even powerful enough for him to consider her a mild annoyance. Almost as hard, was reminding herself that the most beautiful of youkai were often the deadliest. And Sesshoumaru - the lord of the west who was currently occupying her courtyard - was extraordinarily handsome which meant that killing her would take no more than a thought for him.

Tsubaki watched apprehensively as he scanned her building with cold amber eyes. She pulled her bow even tighter and took aim, ready to shoot at a moment's notice. He took his time bringing his gaze to the doorway where she hid, even though they both knew he had long since detected her hiding place.

His face was a perfect mask of calm indifference as he stared directly at her spot and opened his mouth to speak.

"I dislike games human...," he said in a voice that sent chills down her spine.

"...Don't make me kill you."

She swore that her heart stopped for a few moments after he spoke and her mind raced over possible ways to fend him off but she came up empty. At least she knew, thanks to his words, that he hadn't made a special trip out to the middle of nowhere in order to kill a disgraced miko.

There wasn't much of choice, it was either stand down or die, so she decided to come out of her house with her bow at the ready so she could hear what he had to say without feeling that she was showing him her throat.

Holding her head up high, she stepped out from the pitiful safely of her home and stared what was quite possibly her death in its frighteningly beautiful face.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Finally finished this chapter! Please let me know what you think and how I can improve. Constructive criticism is always welcome.


	18. Agreements

I offer a brief apology to all of you who have been waiting patiently and I thank you sincerely for keeping up with this fic even though I know my updates are on the sporadic side.

In particular, I offer my thanks to:

Shessomaru`s#1 gril, avatargrl11, Butterfly, Koren-Dasha, Darrakk, SxR Foreverandever, Erilin-chan, BeautifulSamurai, Saikoubi-Megami, mady, Nocturngirl, sara, Taraah36, whitehitsugaya, MissBrown22241, birdlady, vanilfrappe, HawkAngel XD

Thank you all so very much.

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 16**

**Agreements**

Sesshoumaru took in the woman before him.

The first thing he noticed was that she was fairly young, about the same age as Kikyo. Her skin was free of blemishes and she had long, black hair. He supposed that she was pretty by human standards but he wasn't sure, nor did he care. He was cautious about being near a human woman since he'd been acting quite unlike himself since the advent of Rin. However, that strange fascination he held for the young girl in his care didn't seem to transfer to Tsubaki and he relaxed slightly.

His youki didn't even put up a token protest to her presence, so weak were her powers, and he was pleased. She was barely strong enough to weave power into her arrows and they both knew it.

It wouldn't have bothered him even if she _had_ been stronger but her weakness insured that she would be cautious about rousing his ire and he was not above using that fact to achieve his own ends.

To her credit, she kept herself composed and he got the distinct impression that her sharp brown eyes missed very little. She had a sort of presence that was in no way diminished by her lack of power and he suspected that she would have been a formidable opponent for any mid-level youkai and even a few of the stronger ones if she handed been sealed.

"I doubt you're here to chat with me over a cup of tea," she said after a while, "and I haven't touched more than the few vermin youkai who creep around here from time to time, the sort you would consider to be no more than a light snack, so I can't imagine that you are here to exterminate me for harming any of your subjects. So, Sesshoumaru - Lord of the West and proclaimed enemy of all things human - what could possibly bring you to my home?"

He stared at her a moment more before responding, "You know who I am. That is mildly surprising."

She actually had the nerve to snort before replying, "Show me a miko who _doesn't_ know who the all-powerful Sesshoumaru of the West is. You are infamous among my spiritual sisters. Besides, I might not have much in the way of offensive power but my senses are sharp enough."

"Since your 'senses' as you call them are so acute, you are no doubt well aware of the fact that I would have no problem ending your life if I so chose."

"But of course," she replied in a more neutral tone and he saw her hand tighten reflexively on her bow. No matter how brave she appeared, her scent belied her fear. She wasn't terrified per se, in fact she was doing an admirable job of maintaining her composure but his aura was overwhelming and no matter how bold she was trying to be, she was a miko first and foremost. He knew every fiber of her being was screaming at her that he was dangerous and he had no intention of reining in his youki. Let it serve as a reminder of who held her life in his claws.

"However," he said, "I did not come here to kill you. I desire to use your knowledge as a miko."

Her eyes widened in surprise before she hid it. And then she began to laugh – a low, bitter sound that caused her body to shake. He smelled her anger moments before she fixed him with a glare, her lips compressing themselves into a thin, hard line.

"Is it not enough that you can kill me with no more than a thought? Must you mock me as well? I have no power, as you and I are both well aware, and only another miko – and a very strong one at that – can undo what Kikyou has done to me. As pathetic as I may seem to a youkai of your standing, I still have my pride."

Her strong words took him aback. It was rare that a person spoke so directly to him. Rin was the only one he'd met so far who he'd allowed to continue breathing and while he had made an exception for her, he was loath to let yet another human get away with it. He flexed his claws in annoyance but controlled himself. It was hardly worth it to end her life over something that was relatively small, especially when he knew that he was her enemy and had most likely been such for years.

He settled for narrowing his eyes at her in warning as he replied, "I understand that you despise my kind but I will allow it to pass – as you stated earlier, you are hardly a threat. Rather, to clarify, what I want is your mind."

She blinked and took a step back and he could only imagine what wild thoughts were going through her head – well, perhaps, not so wild because he knew of a few youkai who would consider the brains of a human female to be a delicacy. Opting to clarify his statement he said, "You have the experience and training of a miko and it is that knowledge which I seek to put to use."

"So you seek to have me betray the secrets of my own kind to you?" her tone indicated exactly how little she thought of that and he forced himself to be patient, reminding himself that humans like Rin and her brother were rarities. Not every human took the time to look before they leapt when dealing with his kind and he could admit that the same was true of most youkai as well.

Deciding to change tactics, he stated bluntly, "I have a young servant that I want you to train."

She raised a brow and tilted her head to the side before saying evenly, "Unfortunately, training a youkai is out of the question. Our powers are from two completely opposite sources, which is why so much damage can be caused by either when they come into contact with each other. I might as well try to fly as teach a youkai how to be a miko."

Sesshoumaru could see that, while she was maintaining an even tone, she was being deliberately stubborn. The thought of helping him was obviously distasteful and, while he didn't believe in bowing to the personal preferences of others, he could see that the only way he was going to get her to cooperate was by manipulation.

"The servant in question…" he began, pausing to make sure her full attention was on his next words, "…is human. A young woman to be exact."

That got a reaction out of her.

"Human? But you hate humans. What would you…," she cut herself off and gave him a hard look, "You want me to train a poor girl that you've fooled with that pretty face of yours? What, it isn't enough that you've lowered the girl to no more than a whore but now you seek to train her to do new tricks like some sort of pet?"

The taiyoukai didn't know what came over him. He wasn't sure if it was the disrespectful way she addressed him, or the fact that she would dare to imply that he had his father's complaint…or the way she was speaking about Rin because, human or not, his servant was just that – _his_. Whatever it was, he could not stop a deep, rolling growl from sounding and he flexed his claws, knowing by the way they tingled that they were glowing green as his poison began circulating.

The fool woman snapped her mouth shut and he didn't speak until he knew for sure that he wasn't going to tear her heart out if she so much as blinked – though his youki was egging him on with great pleasure.

"I will say it once," he said evenly, "you _will_ treat me in manner that indicates to me that you want to continue breathing, human. Not only that, but you _will not_ open your mouth and insult any of my servants or I _will_ have it sewn shut, do you understand?"

He could see the way her jaw worked from biting back what she wanted to say but she nodded anyways, though he could see her eyes blazing in aggravation.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and he imagined that she was praying to whichever kami she served for patience.

He allowed her to have her moment but he did bring a hand up to rest on the hilt of his sword, indicating that his patience was running low.

"I don't understand you," she said after a long while, "you hate humans and yet you not only have a human servant but you want me to train her to be a miko, the natural enemy of your kind. Why?"

"I have my reasons."

"I'm sure you do," she said mildly though he thought he detected a note of sarcasm.

"I'm not even sure if I can train this girl. It's not like every human girl can become a miko, she might not even have the ability."

"She does," he replied simply.

"And how would you…nevermind, I don't doubt that a youkai of your caliber could sniff out the tiniest hint of power. Well, then," and she gave him a shrewd look that put him on guard, "supposing I help you - as unnatural as your request is - what do I receive in return?"

"Your life," he replied.

"Not good enough," she said without hesitation, "a miko who is sealed as strongly as I am might as well be dead anyways. Also, just so you know, I'm sure you are used to utilizing threats to get your way but I am no naïve child. If you really wanted me dead, I do not doubt that you would have killed me the moment I opened my mouth and disagreed with you."

Sesshoumaru had to give her marks for bravery and intelligence – she was no fool. Of course, he wouldn't let on that she was right but he _would_ allow her to make a request of him…if it was small enough.

"If it is not your own life that concerns you, what is it that you seek to secure from me?" he asked, wondering if she was going to ask for something as mundane as riches. He didn't know much about human values but he knew there were many who desired a better life for themselves. It would not be a hardship for him since he had more than any human or youkai could ever spend in several lifetimes.

"I ask that you please allow me to speak with this young woman first. I want to be sure that this is something she wants to do herself. The life of a miko is not an easy one and training her means that she is going to open up senses that she has never used before. There are some women who cannot handle the increased awareness that comes with the awakening of their powers and they can and _do_ lose their minds sometimes."

Sesshoumaru went over her words in his head for a moment. Bringing Rin to the miko was out of the question since the thought of taking her away from his castle was distasteful to him. He had set guards at her door to keep her from going anywhere while he was gone and he didn't want her getting any ideas of escape into her head.

The problem with keeping her in his home was that he ran the risk of a repeat of the situation with Hiten. Though Rin had some power, he would not rest easy until she knew how to use it because she was considered fair game as a human female in a castle full of youkai. There were some of his kind who would enjoy raping her just as much as eating her and he was surrounded by enemies who sought to usurp his power the moment he showed any weakness.

On the reverse side, he supposed that he could bring Tsubaki to Rin. That way, he could keep an eye on the both of them and observe firsthand the making of a miko. He could admit, if only to himself, that his curiosity was getting the better of him and he wanted to know how Rin would grow and blossom under the tutelage of a trainer _he_ had chosen. Of course, his subjects wouldn't be pleased but he didn't particularly care. He was still in the process of pruning the "bad fruits" from his domain and anything that would encourage the youkai plotting against him to make their move sooner was welcome.

"Do you accept those conditions Sesshoumaru?" she asked, and he chose to ignore the fact that she had yet to use the honorary suffix, "Sama", when uttering his name. He suspected that it would be too much to ask.

"Your request is acceptable," he replied after a moment.

"Good, now let me…," she began but he cut her off. He was quite tired of allowing her to control the conversation.

"I will give you an hour to gather your belongings," the taiyoukai stated, his tone brooking no argument.

"After that, someone will be here to collect you."

"But I…" she tried to interject.

"I have been patient human and it has now come to its end. I am not so foolish as to bring my servant to you so that you can try to help her to escape and I tire of you trying to stall for time," that said, he sent his youki out and swiftly located the points of energy holding Tsubaki's protective barrier together.

Her eyes widened and he allowed a very small and very cold smile to touch his lips, it was true, her senses were very keen indeed.

His youki cackled like mad in the back of his mind as he used it to tear through the bonds of the barrier. Slowly, so very slowly, it collapsed in upon itself, the strands of energy woven into it dissipating like dust in the wind until there was nothing left but a few bits here and there that were lapped up in seconds by his youki.

Sesshoumaru met and held Tsubaki's gaze, reveling in the scent of her fear. He had effectively removed any choice about whether to come with him or not. She could stay but without the barrier to protect her, she wouldn't last more than a few days. Her fellow humans had seen to it that she was days away from the nearest town and most youkai in his territory were hostile to her kind.

"One hour," he repeated simply and, as she nodded slowly in acknowledgement, he gathered his power and whisked himself away, eager to get his plans moving and curious as to what Rin would say when he informed her of his decision.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Why should I?" Rin asked, folding her arms across her chest as she stared at Sesshoumaru.

She was in a less than charitable mood after waking up to wander around her room before finding out that she was confined to it while Sesshoumaru was off on "taiyoukai business" as the two youkai guarding her door put it before shutting their mouths and ignoring her altogether. Her mood hadn't improved, either, when the taiyoukai returned and walked right into her room without the benefit of knocking. She swore that if he ever did that and she was in the nude, she would die of embarrassment.

And now, now he did that thing with his eyebrow that drove her crazy and made her feel like she had just asked the stupidest question in the world before replying in that aggravatingly deadpan voice, "Because I wish it."

That didn't help her temper. She gritted her teeth together and took a deep breath before replying in a tight voice, "I realize that you feel you don't have to respect me and that you have a reputation to maintain but can you please explain to me in more than four words why you, a youkai, wish me, a human, to become a miko of all things. Surely you understand how ridiculous that sounds to me, do you not?"

He stared at her for a long moment and she forced herself not to blush from being under that beautiful golden gaze for so long – cursing him and Kami both for the way he made her feel. There was this eerie awkwardness that had cropped up because she kept replaying the events of the previous day over and over again in her mind. It had robbed her of her sleep during the night and seeing him now, so close that she could literally reach out and touch him was driving her crazy.

She forced herself to tear her eyes away from him and said quietly, "Besides, what if I lose control again like last time?"

"You will not lose control if you are properly trained," he replied.

"How do you know that? I don't want that again. I know I'm your servant but why can't I serve you in other ways besides that?" she blushed, realizing that she sounded like she was propositioning him for sex _again_ – the first time being when she met him in the Daimyo's courtyard and begged for Souta's life.

He stared at her a long while before stating bluntly, "You are afraid."

She flinched and glared at him for a second before closing her eyes and biting her lip, knowing that he could probably smell how nervous the idea of harnessing as much power as she had the day before - intentionally this time - made her. That was somewhat scary, that he could read her just by the way she smelled but, at the same time, a tiny part of her was intrigued.

"Look at me…Rin," he said the words softly and she opened her eyes again, finding his own gaze once more because there was something hypnotic about the way he said her name. She was _not_ just another human to him, no matter what he said.

'_Stop it Rin! Don't start thinking that you're special,'_ she chastised herself silently.

"Why are you afraid?" he asked her.

"I don't…want to hurt other people," she said softly.

"You do not have to," he replied.

"What good is a miko, then? Oh, I know they say prayers and all of that for people but I doubt that any of your subjects need me to do that for them. The only other thing they are used for is exterminating youkai and I've already demonstrated proficiency in that area haven't I?"

"Control your tone," he said in warning and she immediately quieted, realizing that her panic was causing her voice to rise. Sometime in between the previous evening and now, she had decided that she wanted him to see her as an adult and she wasn't helping her cause by yelling like a little child.

'_Remember Rin, you are trying to understand him,'_ she thought to herself. Of course, she refused to look too closely at exactly why she wanted him to see how mature she was or why she wanted to pin his thoughts and personality down even though she most certainly did not like him. Instead, she wrote it off as just wanting to get along with her self-proclaimed master and left it at that.

Mentally weary and desperate to eat _something_ after two days and nights of excitement with no nourishment, she rubbed her temples and said quietly, "I just don't understand why you want to send me down this path. Not only that but what if I hurt you?"

"You wouldn't," he replied, the epitome of arrogance at the mere notion.

It was a mildly endearing trait that had her wanting to either hug him for his confidence that she could control herself or scratch his eyes out since he clearly didn't perceive her as a threat.

Since neither response would be productive Rin opted to move over to her bed and sit down on the side, trying not to show how keenly aware she was of his eyes being on her. She just couldn't look at him normally without recalling the soft feel of his bed and the divine sight of him hovering over her as he explained to her that she was not a monster.

'_But he himself __**is**__ a monster,'_ she thought. The odd thing about Sesshoumaru, though, was that even his description of himself and the things he had done did not frighten her. Instead, she was fascinated by him. She bit her lip in consternation – she was treading on dangerous ground there.

"If I agree to be trained, what will you use me for?" she hated to utilize the word "use" but that was what it boiled down to and she was a bit hurt that he might see her as a tool in any way, shape, or form. Again, it was foolish of her since he had made it abundantly clear that she was his to do as he wished with.

He paused for a long moment before replying, "I want to understand how your powers work."

"And…?" she prompted him to elaborate, sensing that there was more to it than satisfying his curiosity.

The corner of his mouth dipped down a bare millimeter before he added slowly, "You are a young human female."

"So I realize," she responded, amused at the way he was beating around the bush.

As if he could sense her amusement – and he probably could with that keen nose of his – he furrowed his brow slightly and continued, "You are also in a castle full of youkai who do not care for your kind. There are some, like Hiten, who will seek to take your life – either because you are human or because you belong to me."

"I don't understand, I'm not even that important to you. I mean, I know there are some odd politics going on here but I should be of little account. Shouldn't I?" she said but the last few words trailed off as she got a good look at his face. She was no expert on reading his moods but he was definitely getting agitated.

It shouldn't have been a big deal what other people thought but then she recalled what Keroko had said about his father and the human woman he had taken. She could put enough together to realize that the youkai standing before her did not have pleasant memories of that time and, thinking on it further, she could actually understand where his disquiet came from. He didn't want to be compared to his father.

It hurt a little that he was fighting so hard to keep his subjects from thinking that there was anything more between them than a master/servant relationship but she pushed the feeling away. It was silly anyways.

Swallowing her pain, she said softly, "I can see where they might misunderstand my position here but I am sure that a youkai of your abilities would never be so foolish as to consort with a human. I have no problem informing anyone who might seek to harm me that such is the case."

He gave her yet another long searching look before replying, "Not all youkai will stop at words. I will not always be there to protect you. That is another reason for training you."

Rin wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry. He wanted her to be able to defend herself which was nice but at the same time he couldn't have made it any clearer that he was going to begin the process of withdrawing from her once again. Perhaps it was because she was so hungry and because her night had been restless, full of strange dreams and even stranger longings – all of which revolved around the youkai in front of her – but she suddenly had the urge to do something stupid. Something like throwing herself at Sesshoumaru and asking him why he wanted to abandon her now after bringing her into his world.

Of course she wouldn't do it, but she got that sickeningly hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach that she hadn't felt in ten long years. It was like she had been left alone all over again – just like after her family had been murdered – and she blinked back sudden tears. It wasn't in her nature to cry, she had squelched such urges years ago, but this was the second time she had been about to lose it in Sesshoumaru's presence and she desperately reached out to grab onto any emotion she could to keep the tears at bay.

What she found was anger.

It was frightening how easily she stood up and slipped into what she called her "lady" mode – the face and manner that she had perfected for times when she was feeling strong emotions that couldn't be let out at any cost. Carefully composing her face, she said with unmistakable coldness, "It shall be as you wish, Sesshoumaru-Sama. When shall my training begin?"

There was no way he could miss her change in mood or the way her speech pattern took a turn for the formal. There was a brief flash of confusion that danced across his face before disappearing entirely. She couldn't even find it in herself to be amused.

"The miko who will train you will be here shortly. Her name is Tsubaki."

"I thank you for taking the time to search out a worthy instructor. I will aim to be an excellent pupil as my lord and master requests," she even tacked on a pretty bow that even the most stuck up lord would have applauded.

Sesshoumaru actually paused before saying, "Your response is pleasing. She will be here in less than an hour. I will send someone to bring you to her."

'_So you can't even be bothered to introduce me to her yourself,'_ she seethed silently but her face was the picture of calm acceptance as she bowed again and when she brought her face back up to his, she made sure her eyes were demurely turned towards the floor as befit a young lady of good breeding.

She imagined that he growled slightly but she wasn't really sure of anything beyond the fact that she felt like wringing his pretty neck. A thought occurred to her and she decided that now was as good a time as any to take care of a few pressing needs.

"If it pleases my lord," she began, bringing her gaze up but keeping it focused on a point beyond the taiyoukai's shoulder, "his humble servant would like to request a chance to perhaps bathe and change her clothes in order to be at her best for your honored guest."

"Also," and she forced herself to blush in feigned embarrassment, "she wonders if she might obtain nourishment. It has been a long _two_ days," she made sure to emphasize the fact that, while two days might be nothing for him, it was certainly long to a human.

'_That's right Sesshoumaru, please bathe and feed your pet like a good master,' _she muttered internally.

"Your requests are acceptable," he responded and she controlled the urge to introduce her fist to his face for making her beg for the most basic of human needs.

"I thank you, my lord," she said mildly, "I will await the servant you send to collect me. In the meanwhile, perhaps I may request the assistance of Keroko in showing me where to bathe?"

"That is fine," Sesshoumaru said in that regal way of his before he turned and exited her rooms, closing her door on the way out.

Rin waited until she was sure that he was gone before she picked up one of the expensive vases decorating her room and tossed it, without ceremony, out of the window. She waited for a satisfying crash but none sounded and she crossed her arms with a huff, cursing Sesshoumaru and his stupid, idiotic castle. Why did it have to be so high up that she couldn't even hear it when things hit the ground?

She seethed and prowled around the room before sitting down once more and hiding her face in her hands. The good thing was that she didn't feel like crying anymore. The bad thing was that she couldn't help but feel lonely. It was ridiculous because Sesshoumaru hadn't been her friend in the first place but still…she took a deep breath and lay down on the bed to stare at the ceiling, wishing that she could sort out the way he made her feel.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sesshoumaru did not know what to make of the conversation he had just had with Rin. The only thing her could discern was that she was angry with him for some reason. He had thought she would be fine with him speaking his mind but that apparently wasn't the case. Perhaps she had sensed that he wasn't telling her everything. For example, he had no idea how to explain to her that no matter how much she denied being his, she positively reeked of him and any members of his race with half a brain would conclude that she was his consort.

He did not want his fellow youkai to start dragging old, painful memories out and so he was doing what he had been trying to do from the beginning, which was distance himself. Unfortunately, he hadn't factored in the power of a human's ever-changing emotions. Whereas he would have thought that Rin would be more than happy to leave him to his own devices a day or so ago, that did not seem to be the case now and he wasn't sure how to cope with that knowledge.

Summoning Jaken, he instructed him to send Keroko to Rin's room and, after giving it a bit of thought, told him to have her show Rin around as well. He supposed that he couldn't keep her locked up in her room all the time, no matter how much he wanted to protect her.

That was dilemma number two actually. Rin needed to be able to defend herself because there was going to come a time when he wasn't going to be there. It just was not possible for him to keep his distance from her while protecting her – not when being near her confused him so much. He forgot himself when Rin was in close proximity. The barriers that he had so carefully erected around himself to shut the rest of the world out came crashing down and it didn't help that she filled his senses so that he had a hard time focusing on anything but her when he was in her presence.

Looking at her again had brought the events of the previous night rushing back and his youki fed him images of her there, in his room and lying across his bed. In his memory she looked so fragile that he wanted to stalk her like a predator stalks its prey though he didn't dare imagine what would happen if he caught her. Either blood would be spilled…or history would repeat itself. So as the father was, so the son shall be.

However, as much as he tried to push Rin away, that didn't keep him from being irritated by her latest tactic. He was used to other people saying one thing to him when they really meant something else but it was unsettling when it was Rin adopting that same attitude. He could have scented her anger and pain a mile away – it had been so strong – and yet she had looked at him with that unnaturally calm face and been polite to the point that his teeth were on edge by about the third or fourth sentence out of her mouth. His human girl was supposed to be straight-forward and animated, with her thoughts printed clearly across her face, not so…so cold.

She had shut him out and retreated to someplace far away where he could not follow and it angered him, though he had kept it hidden. After all, hadn't he been the one to insist that she be more respectful of him and his position? And she _had_ been polite, albeit to the point of nausea. He couldn't complain and she knew it.

What made it even worse was that she had made him look the fool by bringing to his attention the fact that she hadn't had the opportunity to wash up or eat for two whole days. Servant or not, human or not, it reflected poorly upon him if he did not make sure she was taken care of. There were some lords who treated their prisoners and servants as no more than beasts and while he was not above torturing others to get what he needed, he preferred not to do it if it wasn't necessary. In addition, if he planned to have Rin's cooperation in the future, it could only benefit him to provide her with the basic necessities.

As much as it pained him, he admitted that he might have bitten off more than he could chew when it came to Rin. She was far too clever and far too unpredictable. He had a feeling that he was now caught in his own trap because, as irritating as the realization was, the more he analyzed her change in demeanor the more he realized that she had been acting like a polite version him.

It was an eerie idea at best and ridiculous at worse and he actually had to physically shake his head to clear it of such crazy thoughts. He actually welcomed it when his youki perkes up as Ah-Un entered his domain once more carrying the miko who was going to train Rin.

He hoped that he wasn't going to regret the choice he had made because, after his talk with Rin, he foresaw quite a bit of trouble coming his way if he didn't remain vigilant.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Thanks to those who are still reading this fic and I apologize for the delay and slowness of the chapter. Hopefully I'll get the next one out sooner. Thanks again and please let me know what you think.


	19. Training

Here's yet another chappie for your viewing pleasure. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, it was very encouraging. I know this is very different from anything else I've written and so it means a lot that you all are still reading even though the romance is much slower.

Much thanks to:

*fashiggidy, Isis Isira, AphoticDepths, Taraah36, Nadir91, Nocturngirl, chokielovie, whitehitsugaya, New Fan, vanilfrappe, Darrakk (See! I told you I would update this month =)

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 17**

**Training**

Tsubaki couldn't quite believe her eyes when she saw Sesshoumaru's castle. To say it was big was an understatement. It was just massive to the point that she couldn't help but stare as she approached it because there was nowhere else to look. The closer she got, the more her apprehension grew because her senses were screaming at her to get away. There was so much youki gathered there - not just from the castle's inhabitants but embedded within the stones themselves - she thought she might pass out from the strain. It certainly didn't help that she could feel the youki reaching out and crawling over her skin as it sought to identify who and what she was.

She clutched her bag with her meager possessions to her chest and held her breath as the two-headed dragon she rode touched down lightly in a huge courtyard that was currently empty of all life save for a young woman standing next to what looked like a tiny toad with makeup.

Wondering where Sesshoumaru was – it was harder to pinpoint him with so much power scattered about - she took her time dismounting as she observed the girl standing before her. She couldn't detect a speck of youki from her, which told her that she was most likely the human she was supposed to be training. The toad-like youkai standing next to the girl was ignored; her senses told her that the tiny little thing was no threat.

The girl was even younger than she had previously thought. She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen and she was rather on the smallish side. Her curly hair was dark and framed a face that was pretty now and likely to become beautiful as she grew older. Still, all of her features paled in comparison with her most striking one – her eyes. Even thirty or so feet away, she got the impression that the large eyes observing her missed very little.

Her mount grunted at her and, with some effort, she dragged her eyes away from the girl and began to pull her meager belongings from the back of the youkai. The moment she retrieved her last little bundle, the dragon shook its heads and, with a leap and a burst of youki, it was off, flying away to Kami-knew-where.

She stared at the retreating beast and sighed. She'd only been there for a few moments and she already felt as if she had been abandoned, not that she trusted any youkai but now she was well and truly stuck there. Turning back around, she noted that the girl hadn't moved from her current position and she made a mental note to herself that the child was a cautious one which boded relatively well for her if she did decided to train her. A cautious miko was a good one.

'_You keep acting as if you have a choice, Tsubaki,'_ she chided herself. She knew full well that Sesshoumaru wouldn't keep her around if she refused to train the girl. However, she wanted to think she had some semblance of control, especially dwelling among the very creatures she'd spent her entire life fighting.

'_Well, we can either stare at each other all day or we can get this over with,'_ she thought. She had never been a coward and she wasn't about to start now.

Walking over to the girl, she gave her a nod – the closest she was willing to get to a bow given the circumstances – and asked her plainly, "Who are you and why are you with Sesshoumaru?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rin wasn't sure how to respond to the woman at first. The newcomer gave off an aura of calm authority and she was beautiful, strikingly so. The problem was that she couldn't get a clear reading from her. Her features were arranged into a perfect mask of serenity – not unlike Sesshoumaru – and there was no telling what was going on in her mind.

Hence, she chose her words carefully as she responded, "My name is Higurashi Rin and as for why I am with Sesshoumaru-Sama, I am on loan to him in place of my brother."

She might have imagined that the woman's eyes widened slightly when she heard her family name but she couldn't be sure and she wasn't going to pursue it just yet either. Instead she continued with a question of her own.

"And who are you?"

"My name is Tsubaki and I am going to be your trainer…if you will have me."

"If…?" Rin repeated, furrowing her brow. Was it possible that she actually had a choice in whether or not she was going to be trained? That wasn't what Sesshoumaru had implied to her.

"Yes, _if_ you will have me. My agreement with your master was that I would only train you if you agreed to it."

Rin's first instinct was to jump all over the opportunity presented to her but she held herself back. There was something suspicious about the fact that her "lord" had agreed to Tsubaki's terms while making it clear to her that he wasn't going to take "no" for an answer.

Knowing what she did about Sesshoumaru's personality, she had to ask herself – why had he been so certain that she would agree? What were the chances that Sesshoumaru had threatened the woman in some way to get her to come at all because she knew exactly how much miko disliked his kind? The answer she got was not a pleasant one.

Sesshoumaru was fully capable of that and more and she didn't doubt for one moment that he would kill the woman in front of her if he felt he had no use for her. As he had said himself, he was a monster and she had a brief flash of the terrifying vision he had made when he transformed and attacked her home town. No, she doubted he would be as "kind" to yet another human as he had been with her – whom he barely tolerated. With frightening clarity, she saw how clever his trap was. Whether she wanted to be trained or not, it was no longer just her life on the line. If she said no, then Tsubaki's life was forfeit. There were some people who would have shrugged and said "oh well, not my problem" but she wasn't one of them. Rin just couldn't bring herself to shut her heart away like that.

"I..," she began, licking suddenly dry lips, "I will train with you," she said as firmly as she could, though her stomach was twisting itself into knots. Just the thought of wielding so much power again terrified her.

Tsubaki gave her a long look and replied, "You didn't seem to think too long on your reply. Why?"

"Oh, I've thought on it for a while," Rin said quickly. She silently added to herself, _'You have no idea just how long I've been trying to get out of it. And now Sesshoumaru has effectively trapped us both.'_

"Tell, me, why would you serve him in this capacity? Has he…never mind," Tsubaki cut off what she was about to say and Rin perked up, her curiosity piqued.

"No, please finish what you were about to say, Tsubaki-San."

The woman stared at her another long moment before asking bluntly, "Have you slept with him?"

Well, Rin hadn't expected her to ask that so soon and she felt her face flaming at the mere thought of Sesshoumaru looking at her in that way. The idea was ridiculous but that didn't stop her from wondering in a tiny part of her mind if it was even possible. She could admit that he was physically attractive to her and she liked the sparse glimpses she saw here and there of his deeply buried kindness but he was not a nice person and she _really_ wasn't feeling charitable towards him due to this latest stunt he had pulled.

Realizing that she was taking too long to answer, she looked the woman in the eyes and replied honestly, "No. I have not. I understand that there are some youkai who like human women but I assure you Sesshoumaru is not one of them."

The woman gave a relieved sigh and said, "Good. I don't want there to be a repeat of the 'Tragedy of Izayoi-Hime and Touga-Sama.' The West does not need that kind of strife on top of this most recent war."

Well, that was new. Rin had never heard of the story she was referring to and just as she was about to ask, Keroko piped up and said, "Oh, is that what humans refer to it as? Well, I suppose it would be more like a tale to you since it happened so long ago."

Rin turned to her maid and asked, "Am I missing something? Who are Izayoi-Hime and Touga-Sama?"

"Well, Rin-Hime, Izayoi-Hime was the human woman that Sesshoumaru's father took up with," Keroko said.

"And Touga-Sama is the name of the previous Lord of the West. In other words, he was Sesshoumaru's father."

"Oh, well I've only heard bits and pieces but I knew something bad must have happened since Sesshoumaru-Sama's father is no longer around and his human lover would have been long dead by now," Rin said

"Yes, well, rest assured that both of them are no longer in this world. Perhaps it is better that way," Tsubaki said cryptically.

"However," and her tone lightened, "now is hardly the time to go into the specifics of their tale. I need to get settled in since I have the feeling that I'm going to be here for a while. I'm assuming that's what you are for, little toad," Tsubaki addressed Keroko directly, her voice not unkind. Keroko was sweet and very harmless as far as youkai went and Rin was glad that the miko had picked up on that. She didn't care for the thought of anyone bullying her maid.

"Oh, yes, I have just the spot for you, oh, but how shall I address you? Sesshoumaru-Sama is just swimming in pretty human females and it took me so long to figure out a name for Rin-Hime but there can only be one princess at a time."

"Just Tsubaki-San is fine," the miko replied with a bemused expression on her face. She was apparently unused to youkai being so chatty with her.

"But…" Keroko began with a woeful look on her face and Rin quickly interjected before she could launch into yet another long dialogue about how to assign the proper honorifics to every single person she came in contact with.

"Tsubaki-San should do nicely, Keroko-San," Rin said with a smile.

"But…"

"Keroko-San, your Hime is telling you that it is fine, don't you trust my judgment?"

The youkai drew herself up stiffly and replied, "Of course I do. If Rin-Hime has captured Sesshoumaru-Sama's heart than she must be wise beyond her years!"

Rin could feel her cheeks heating up and her blush only deepened as the toad continued, "Oh, if only I could live to hear the sound of little inu-youkai running about the castle. You and Sesshoumaru-Sama are going much too slowly."

The young woman was acutely aware of the miko staring at her curiously and she allowed her annoyance to color her tone as she replied, "Keroko-San, kindly show our guest to her rooms. I'm sure she doesn't want to be bored with the details about Sesshoumaru-Sama and me."

That said, she ushered the two women into the castle and prayed for patience because she suspected that she was going to need it in spades before the end of the day.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Miroku was in heaven. He was on the back of a flying nekomata and pressed up snug – well almost snug, if he ignored the hiraikotsu between them - against the one woman he loved beyond all rhyme or reason. Life couldn't have been better.

Unfortunately, as they drew closer the ruins of the town that Sesshoumaru had attacked, his peace began to flee from him. He could see little specks moving about the rubble and as Kirara descended he heard shouts of fear and saw soldiers rushing towards the spot they were planning to land.

"Oy, Sango-San, are you sure we should land here? I know Kirara is tame but she's still a youkai and I doubt they'll take kindly to her presence," he said, taking that opportunity to lean in closer and breathe in the scent of her hair. He could admit that he was a pervert but he was a pervert in love who was pitiful enough to take whatever he could get from the woman in front of him.

'_The things this woman does to me,'_ he thought to himself wistfully. Unfortunately, his internal musings were short-lived because he heard a distinct whistle and something very fast and very pointy whizzed past his head.

"Sango-San…are they shooting at us?" he asked, just to make sure he wasn't imagining things.

Sango muttered a most unladylike curse and replied, "Hold on monk, we're going to have to play a game of tag if we want to land. Let's head for the Daimyo's place, maybe he'll listen to reason."

Miroku decided not to comment on the fact that her crazy scheme to depose Sesshoumaru was unreasonable, he had no desire to be tossed off of the back of their mount. Instead, he had to wonder why it was that the Daimyo's residence was untouched when the rest of his domain had been flattened. He had a very bad feeling about the place and his nervousness only grew as they neared the building. The little hairs on the back of his neck were standing up and he could felt his energy rising up unbidden, as if his body knew something he didn't.

He had only a split second to throw up a barrier around them before a massive burst of purifying energy slammed into Kirara. The nekomata roared in pain and Miroku's heart jumped up into his throat as the youkai's flight pattern began to waver.

"Kirara!" Sango cried and icy tendrils of fear went down his spine. He absolutely despised hearing his proud, strong and beautiful companion in any kind of distress and he reflexively clenched his right hand, running the tips of his fingers over the beads there. He had a secret that he hadn't revealed to anyone - save the monk who had raised him and his long dead mother - not even Sango and he hoped he wouldn't have to.

The family curse was the bane of his existence and he avoided relying upon it at all costs. However, he could and would use the _**abomination**_ on his right hand if he had to, especially if Sango's life were involved. Still, that was a last resort and he forced himself to remain calm. Blocking out the sights and sounds around him, even those of his beloved Sango as she tried to keep Kirara steady, he focused on drawing his powers out even more, trying his best not to wince at how heavily damaged his barrier was. Even though it was makeshift, his abilities were nothing to sneeze at and the fact that his shield had taken so much damage – from the same kind of power as his, no less – told him that he was facing a formidable opponent.

The monk really had no desire to fight with one of his own kind but he just couldn't shake the bad feeling he had. The lingering threads power caught between the cracks of his barrier were off somehow. When most of his kind – meaning humans with the mental abilities necessary for the purification of youkai, among other things - manifested their powers, they took on specific colors depending on the person's strength or unique abilities. The same could be said for youkai, but there were some colors that were unique to each species. In this case, the power he saw entangled with his own was the vivid white of a very strong human but it was striated with very fine lines of purple – a color that was unique to youkai. It was an utterly unnatural phenomenon and he looked on in horror as the threads of power actually began to eat away at his barrier.

He hastily dispersed his shield and the foreign power dissipated along with it. His heart was pounding and he cast his senses wide trying to pinpoint the origin of the power. Whoever they were up against, he knew he was vastly outclassed. The power he'd just seen and felt was nothing like anything he'd ever encountered. In fact, if he had to compare it to anything, the sheer volume of it was more akin to something a very high powered youkai would have, the kind that took two or more strong monks or miko to take down. No one human had ever been born who could single-handedly wield as much energy as he was picking up from just this one attack.

A faint glimmer caught his eye and, if he squinted, he could just make out a few patches here and there that indicated the path the attack had taken. Unsurprisingly, it led to the Daimyo's home and he marveled at the range the attack had because the place was at least half a mile away. Putting his mouth closer to Sango's ear, he told her to turn a bit to the right and she did as he asked for once.

"What are you seeing that I don't, monk?" the taijiya asked.

"I can tell the direction the attack came from," he replied.

"I'm all for a fight and but I don't want Kirara hurt again. Why are we heading towards the person who attacked us?"

Her concern for her pet was endearing and he rewarded her with a gentle squeeze that she pretended not to notice.

"I want to see something but I also want to know if the person attacking us can be reasoned with. Even on the back of Kirara, he or she should have been able tell that I am a monk."

"How, we're so far away?"

"Even if they can't see us, they are powerful enough that there's no way they wouldn't have sensed me."

"Maybe they think you're a rogue monk, y'know, like how there are some miko who go dark."

"No, they would have picked up on that. It's all about the signature I give off and I know mine is bright and clear." It was a trial sometimes to explain his abilities to people who didn't have them. He might as well have been speaking a different language.

"So, putting aside why they attacked us, can you fight back?"

Thinking about the vast gap between his power and that of the person attacking them, he knew he was no match but he did have _one_ trick up his sleeve – or on hand rather - and he hoped with every fiber of his being that he wouldn't have to us it. He couldn't face it if Sango, of all people, looked at him with disgust or if, even worse, she got hurt because of him.

He knew he sounded cryptic as he replied, "If I have to."

Miroku prayed that he wouldn't need to fight and he kept that wish firmly in the front of his mind as they neared the fortress and he saw their attacker.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So, how do you tap into this power that Sesshoumaru says you have?" Tsubaki asked and Rin paused in the midst of helping the miko put her clothes away. Keroko had led her to one of the guest rooms – something which came as a surprise to both women - a few floors or so below her own room. Rin wasn't about to question why Sesshoumaru had been nice enough to avoid placing Tsubaki in the servant's quarters. His particular brand of "nice" seemed to come with a price and she would happily remain ignorant as to his motives. She was still mad at him and at the fact that he had yet to show his face since he left her earlier in the day.

Realizing that Tsubaki was waiting for an answer she scratched her head absently and replied, "I don't really know. It just comes out when I need it to."

"And how have you needed it in the past? Give me a few examples."

She deliberately avoided thinking about the most recent manifestation of her powers and said, "Well, sometimes, when I get hurt, it'll heal within a few minutes. And too, I don't know if you heard about this. But Sesshoumaru was captured and I had to use the power to free him, though I can't tell you exactly how that worked."

"Hmm," the miko appeared to be thinking on her words and Rin fidgeted, hoping that the woman didn't inquire any further.

Thankfully, she didn't, instead she changed stride and asked, "Have you seen anything usual?"

"I'm in a castle full of youkai," Rin answered with a smile and, to her relief, Tsubaki chuckled.

"Yes, well you're bound to see all sorts of things here. I don't think there's a human alive who has seen every type of youkai there is and they do tend to run to the strange don't they?"

Rin gave a vigorous nod even though the strangest person she'd met to date was still Sesshoumaru. He irked her no end with his confusing mixed signals and even more because she couldn't help but wonder what he found so important that he could introduce the miko to her himself or at least put in some sort of appearance.

"Let me rephrase my question. Have you ever seen anything unusual as a result of your powers?"

Thinking back to her encounter the previous night, she forced herself not to blush as she said, "Well, I've seen the color of Sesshoumaru's youki and I know my own powers come out blue when I use them."

"Oh? That's actually pretty unusual, your color I mean. No, I take that back the fact that you were able to see Sesshoumaru's youki is also odd. It's one thing to feel it, but it usually takes quite a bit of practice to be able to see a youkai's youki. Granted, there are exceptions like when a youkai forms a miasma because that usually consists of jyaki versus normal youki."

Rin wasn't following the woman at all. She knew the bare basics about youki and jyaki because of her adopted sisters but the woman was heading off into unknown territory now.

"So what does it mean, the fact that I can youki or that I'm blue?"

The corner of Tsubaki's mouth twitched upwards at her choice of words but she responded, "It just means that you have a natural proficiency with your abilities, meaning it will be much easier to train you."

Rin didn't know why, but she had a feeling that the woman might not be telling her everything but she left it alone. It was comforting enough to know that she was might be able to gain the mastery of her abilities after all.

"So, when will we begin training? What will it consist of?" For the first time, Rin felt a hint of eagerness for the task Sesshoumaru had set before her. She hadn't thought much of her abilities before but she was getting curious as to what else she could do.

"As far as training goes, we can start in a little while but I have just a few more questions for you."

Rin's uneasiness returned but she nodded slowly anyways. She didn't want to let on that she had something to hide.

"What sort of person is your master?"

The question was so unexpected that Rin was at a loss for words and she stared at Tsubaki a long moment before answering her question with another question, "Why do you ask?"

"Young lady," the miko's voice was stern, "I am one of the best when it comes to training miko. The reason for that is because my particular talents lie in my sensitivity to the various powers and energies inherent in both human and youkai. I have yet to meet someone with a better range than myself. With that said, there is a massive 'hole' in the youki in this castle. I can close my eyes and point at it; that is how thoroughly the spot has been purified."

Rin still wasn't following the miko and she wondered if she wasn't just a bit crazy. What was the woman talking about when she said there was a "hole" in the youki? She was just about to ask when a thought occurred to her. Running a few calculations in her head, she realized that they probably weren't that far from the spot where Hiten had attempted to attack her. Of course, Sesshoumaru's castle was still a maze to her but she recalled enough of her path to figure that they might very well be on the exact same floor where she had lost control of herself, or very close.

A shiver worked her way down her spine and she forced herself to ask evenly, "What do you mean by a hole?"

"I mean just that: a hole. We passed it while we were ascending the stairs. Did you not notice the way our little guide shivered when were close to it? I can guarantee you that that's why she isn't here now."

The young woman hadn't thought about that. Yes, Keroko had beaten a hasty retreat after showing them to Tsubaki's room but she figured that had more to do with her obvious annoyance with the little toad. It hadn't even occurred to her that the youkai could still be affected by her outburst of power.

"I can see you still aren't following me completely," Tsubaki rubbed her temple and Rin felt foolish for not understanding what she was talking about.

"Rin-San, perhaps you do not realize this but this castle is very old. I can't begin to tell you how many of Sesshoumaru's ancestors have been here, but places like this tend to take on a mind of their own. Call it an effect of so much youki being gathered in one place if you will. This entire castle has a very fine network of youki laid out over it, much like your veins carry blood through your body. To simplify, when there is a disruption in the energy flowing here, it's very obvious to anyone with the training to look. Do you follow me so far?"

Rin nodded.

"Good, now to answer your question as to why I ask you about Sesshoumaru, I ask because a hole such as I have described could only come about as a result of a particularly strong burst of purifying energy. The spot is scrubbed clean of every speck of youki and the residual power left over on it is purifying every attempt the castle makes to restore balance to the area."

"Now, since there are only two people here capable of purifying youki and only one has been here for more than a day that tells me that you were the one who purified the area. However, per your own words, your powers only manifest themselves when they were needed. That then begs the question: What or _who_ forced you to lash out with so much power? Did Sesshoumaru try to hurt you?"

Rin was so in awe of her reasoning that she didn't respond for a moment but she quickly shook her head in the negative.

Tsubaki gave her a pitying look, which irritated her, and asked, "Look if you have some sort of misplaced loyalty…"

"Tsubaki-San, please do not even go there," Rin said as politely as she could, her awe evaporating entirely. Even if she _was_ angry at Sesshoumaru right then, she respected him enough that she wouldn't bad-mouth him or allow anyone else to do so.

"I apologize if I sound rude," she continued, "but Sesshoumaru-Sama has yet to do anything to bring me to harm. Don't get me wrong, he _has_ made it clear to me that it is well within his power to kill me at any time. However, as surprising as it may seem, he really hasn't attempted to hurt me in anyway." Of course, there was that one moment out in the courtyard where he had threatened to snap her neck but that was neither here nor there.

"Then who tried to hurt you? Why didn't you tell me when I asked how your powers had manifested themselves in the past?"

"I was attacked by one of Sesshoumaru's subjects and to answer the second questions, I didn't think it would matter."

"Of course it matters, Rin," Tsubaki said, "The more information I have, the better I can determine what you need to work on. So what happened to the youkai you purified? He can't possibly still be alive."

"Actually, I think he is. At least, he was the last I saw even though he was in a lot of pain. I forced my powers back once I realized that I was hurting him."

"Why?" Tsubaki gave her an incredulous look.

"I said I stopped because I was hurting him," Rin didn't understand what the problem was.

"At the risk of sounding repetitive, why did you stop? He was trying to kill you."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I should try to kill him in return."

"Rin, among miko, there are many theories as to why our powers are so effective on youkai. Some say they are a gift from the gods. Others say that we as humans have spent so long cowering at the feet of youkai that our bodies simply developed the means to fight back. Whatever the reason, our primary role is to fight against them, especially in times like these when our very way of life is threatened. If you let him go, I can guarantee that he will return to finish what he started. That is the nature of these monsters you dwell amongst. You were too soft."

Rin knew that Tsubaki was most likely repeating the teachings that she had heard since she was a child but that didn't stop her from getting angry. She hated the "Us versus Them" mentality that so many humans and youkai held to and she really hated it when people treated her like a child, as if she were incapable of reaching her own conclusions. Humans were not the innocent victims that Tsubaki implied they were, she knew that very, _very_ well. She closed her eyes briefly in pain as memories of the day she lost her family surfaced.

It might as well have been yesterday, that was how vividly she recalled her father and brother crying out as they were gutted like animals. She could still smell the smoke as their humble little home was burned to the ground and she remembered her mother pleading as the bandits had their way with her before killing her. If she concentrated just a little harder she could remember the way the ground felt beneath her bare toes as she ran and ran and ran…on and on until she thought her lungs were going to burst.

She…would…not…cry.

"Tsubaki-San," she said much more calmly than she felt, "I am sorry you feel that I should have to take another life, but I cannot agree with you. Who _are_ you to determine who is a monster and who is not? Who are _you_ to say who should live or who should die? Youkai or human, we all think and eat and breathe. Why is one group more important than the other?"

Tsubaki simply stared at her and Rin flushed but she did not pull her eyes away from the miko's. The silence stretched out until it was thin thread that Rin grew tired of balancing on.

"I am sorry Tsubaki-San, but I think we should push my training off until tomorrow. It grows late and I am growing both tired and hungry. I'll ask Keroko to get something for you to eat as well."

And with those parting words, she slipped from the room, leaving a very puzzled miko behind.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**


	20. Wisdom

Hello my dears. Sorry for the long delay between chapters. I had some drama going on and if you're wondering the full explanation is in my profile. I know you want to get to reading ASAP so I'll keep my thanks brief this time and just say a general thanks to everyone who has reviewed and even those who have and have been very patient with me. I apologize in advance for my rusty writing skills.

I do have one very special thanks for Darrakk, who constantly encouraged me and was so very sweet. Thanks hon, it meant a lot.

Anyways, on to the fic and, just to be clear, since I haven't done a disclaimer in a while I'd like to assure all interested parties that I don't own a darn thing in relation to Inuyasha. All characters are the property of their respective owners.

**Ties of Blood**

**Chapter 18**

**Wisdom**

Rin was hesitant to wander about the castle again after what had happened the last time but she really had no desire to go back to her room and she was so irritated at both Sesshoumaru and Tsubaki that she fully intended to avoid both of them for the rest of the day.

Hence, it was with a great deal of caution that she began to explore once again. After traversing the halls with Keroko at her side earlier, she had a slightly better idea of the layout of the castle, so she struck out for the stairs that would take her to the lower levels and then outside. Since she knew the general direction of the courtyard, she decided to take the opposite route this time.

As she walked the halls, she did her best to ignore the many looks that were thrown her way. There were a few curious eyes and even some that showed a disturbing hunger but the majority of them were hostile. It so was obvious that she wasn't wanted here that she wondered how she managed to make it to the door leading outside without bursting into flames from all of the animosity directed towards her.

The young woman breathed a sigh of relief when she came out into the fresh air. Looking around, she couldn't help but smile as she found herself in what had obviously once been a garden. Rin had always been the type who enjoyed planting things and making them grow. She had fond memories of bringing flowers home to her original family just to make them smile. As a child, her dream had been to go to the home of a rich lord and work in his gardens. Of course, such an aspiration showed just how much of a peasant she was but she had never been so arrogant as to turn down work, especially not something she loved as much as gardening.

As she looked around her at the ruins of what had once been a magnificent garden, she found herself imagining what it must have looked like back in the day. Her body moved automatically as she pictured the cherry trees in full blossom and the camellia bushes sporting their flowers in various shades of white, pink, and red.

If she looked hard enough, she could almost see the chrysanthemums flowering along the path which, in her mind, was not overgrown with weeds but firm beneath her feet as it led her on a merry chase ever deeper into the garden. She didn't know what was drawing her forward but she couldn't help the excitement that rose in her as she found herself running down the path, nimbly avoiding roots and clumps of grass that tried to trip her.

She passed a massive pond and slowed, mentally replacing the brown and lifeless lily pads with emerald green ones in their prime. In her imagination yellow and cream water lilies rose delicately from the water's depths and jewel-colored dragonflies darted about, playing hide-and-seek with each other.

Eventually, a grove rose up before her at the end of the path and she paused before the entrance to it. Her skin prickled and she had the weird feeling that she was being watched but she couldn't place it. Whoever it was, she didn't feel any animosity at all. The person or youkai simply gave off an air of patience - endless, _endless_ patience.

However, she was still very much aware of the fact that she didn't have much to defend herself with – she certainly couldn't rely on her capricious powers. Not only that, the interior of the grove was very dark and all she needed was to get lost in the woods, never to be seen again. She doubted that Sesshoumaru would come to get her out of yet another scrape and definitely not one that she got herself into.

Irritation gripped her as soon as she thought about the lord of the castle. She was still miffed at Sesshoumaru and hadn't the slightest idea why she was even allowing him to be a factor in her decisions at this point in time. The taiyoukai might have felt that he was her master and she was even willing to allow him that illusion…when he was actually present. However, the cold prince was nowhere to be found and she always had been and always would be her own person.

Even knowing that she was probably being unnecessarily contrary at that point, Rin still decided to move forward. It wasn't as if she had much waiting for her back at the castle the lure of a potential adventure was irresistible. With a deep breath, she took her first step forward into the unknown and couldn't stop a grin from touching her lips. Even after all her years of suppressing it, her curiosity still had the power to make her do the craziest things and she actually looked forward to whatever she might find on the other end of the path.

Giving a brief look back at the way she had come, Rin took her first steps into the unknown.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sesshoumaru paced back and forth in his room, his tail twitching along behind him and beating a steady tattoo against his back due to his agitated state. He didn't know why, but he was bothered over Rin's odd behavior and her meeting with the miko. No matter how hard he tried to tell himself that he shouldn't be dwelling on her so much when it had been his choice to stick her with the woman, he couldn't get the image of her hurt expression out of his mind.

'_I don't owe you anything, human,'_ he growled at the picture of her in his head.

His curiosity had gotten the better of him at one point and he had actually gone to his window to peek out on the two women in his courtyard. They spoke for a while before heading into his castle and he had to force himself not to trail them. There were so many other things he could have been doing like tracking Kuroko's brother, Kuromaru, and finding out why he suddenly had the need to go back home when he knew full well that there was little love lost between him and his father.

He could also have sat down with Jaken and gone over his next move. His focus was shifting from avenging himself on the human rulers squatting on his lands to figuring out a strategy to get that miko, Kikyou, out of the way. Still, there wasn't much he could do to counteract the woman until he found out what made her the way she was and for that he needed Rin to be more knowledgeable about her powers.

And of course he was back to Rin now.

He ran a hand through his hair and nearly sat down on his bed but thought better of it. Since he had yet to command the servants to replace his bedding with something that wasn't saturated in Rin's scent, the last thing he needed was to give his youki an excuse to have him rolling across the sheets, trying to gather in as much of Rin's fascinating smell as he could.

Sometimes he wished there was a way for him to go forward in time and skip the rest of his adolescence so that he could obtain better control over his body and the youki that accompanied it. For all that he had lived a few centuries already, in the eyes of his fellows he was considered to be but a few years older than Rin in maturity. Certainly he had no desire to choose a wife just yet to continue on the bloodline and to that end he'd successfully avoided contact with females of his species just fine. Yet, Rin, a mere human girl, was unraveling all he'd worked for.

She appealed to him and his youki in almost every way. Oh, he stubbornly denied it, but that didn't change the fact that he did not dislike her. Even putting aside her humanity, there was just something so very…different about her. She was unique in a way that had him thinking things he shouldn't, doing things he ought not, and wanting things he could never have.

'_I __**am not**__ my father!' _he reminded himself. That had become his prayer every time he encountered Rin. It stopped him from doing anything stupid for which he would be paying for the rest of his life.

Sesshoumaru paused in his pacing as he came close to the wall. He stared at the gray stones and debated whether or not it was a good idea to tap into the castle's youki and look in on the miko and his servant. It was a foolish thought in lieu of the vast amount of self-recriminating he had just completed but his youki was restless.

Forcing himself to turn away, he shifted his attention to the window, taking note of the sun's position. It was well past noon.

'_Perhaps a run would do me some good,' _he thought. There hadn't been many occasions for him to transform into his inu form and go for a nice long run. Truthfully, he hadn't done so ever since the war began. However, at that moment he thought it might be for the best in order to clear his head and hopefully to get a certain human girl off of his mind. Nothing could compare with feeling the wind flowing through his fur and the enhanced clarity that came with his change.

An idea came to him and he very nearly dismissed it as silly until it occurred to him that he might actually have some use for it. If he was going to go for a run, it wouldn't hurt to pay the youkai he had in mind a visit. Though he rarely assigned credit to anyone, he would admit that now was as good a time as any to make inquiries where he could and the individual he had chosen was one of a very select few that he could trust to answer him honestly.

His mind made up, he walked over to his window and levitated himself up and through the portal, moving forward until he was a sufficient distance away from the castle. The young lord took in a deep breath and called upon his youki, ignoring the pleasurable thrill that seared its way through his veins as the beast he kept leashed behind a humanoid façade came to the fore and he felt his body shifting. Years of practice meant it took mere moments for his bones and organs to rearrange themselves and expand, meanwhile his clothes were absorbed by his youki and his tail lengthened. Opening his jaws he couldn't resist the urge to howl, making sure all of his subjects in the area knew the master was out and about.

'_**Make them tremble before us,'**_ his youki growled to him and he reveled in his enhanced senses as well as the sheer amount of power he had regained since being imprisoned. His paws touched the ground and he delighted in the feel of solid earth beneath him. With yet another howl he was off, his powerful haunches propelling his massive body forward until his surroundings were nothing but a blur.

Sesshoumaru opted to circle his castle a few times before heading in the direction he needed to go and gloried in the sights and scents of his domain. Though he never said it out loud, he was proud of his inheritance. He liked the forests and rivers that dotted his land and the cool nights where the moon rose large and beautiful. Yes, long nights where he wanted nothing more than to run until his responsibilities, painful memories and now his un-wanted desires were left far behind.

Within moments the sweet joy of running started to soothe his frayed nerves, helping him to relax and forget about his many problems. There, as he streaked between the earth and sky he could forget that his own kind threatened to overthrow him and the memory of soulful brown eyes gazing up at him did not haunt him so badly. He could forget, if only for a while, that he had ever wanted to join the owner of those eyes on his bed, that he had been tempted to taste the sweetness of the skin he'd felt and bury his claws into that soft, curly hair. The longer he ran, the less important such things became until he finally felt as if his mind was sufficiently cleared for him to pay a visit to his father's old friend.

Altering his course for the woods nearest his castle, he had barely taken a few steps before his nostrils caught the scent of the one person he most wanted to avoid. His logical mind told him to stop and turn back immediately but his youki urged him to seek out the owner of the scent and, unfortunately, in his current form his youki was far more compelling.

'_**We want her,'**_ his youki murmured the moment he began to slow down. Sesshoumaru ignored the demand as he tried to alter his course. Just because his beast spoke the truth didn't mean he had to act on it. His peace of mind required him to keep Rin at bay and with some effort he wrenched control away from his youki, ignoring the way it growled back in displeasure.

He paused in order to ascertain that the human girl was a sufficient distance away, only continuing once her was sure that she was still a long way off. The scent of decaying flowers that accompanied her told him that she was in the vicinity of the garden his father had trysted in with his human lover. Rin was far enough away that he could relax once again and she was unlikely to intercept him. Very few youkai ever entered the woods unless they were in good standing with the master of the grove and the human girl was hardly likely to go for a stroll in a strange forest.

Thus reassured, he leaped up and took flight, gliding over the trees until his eyes alighted on the clearing he wanted. Though it was large enough to contain his canine form, he was in the middle of shifting back into humanoid form before his feet even touched the ground. It was easier to hold a conversation when he wasn't fighting with his youki, who had a pitifully small attention span.

He had just finished changing when a stiff breeze filled the clearing, letting him know that the youkai he'd come to visit was aware of his presence. Golden eyes scanned his surroundings briefly before he turned them towards the largest tree and the face that was slowly emerging from its trunk.

"Greetings Sesshoumaru," Bokusenou said, his voice deep and calm.

The taiyoukai inclined his head towards the ancient tree youkai in acknowledgement. Though he never voiced it, he held a great deal of respect for the being before him. Bokusenou was probably the oldest youkai in existence and he was one of the few who would never pass judgment on him for keeping a human close by. Of course, he wasn't about to voice his concerns to the tree but he did want the perspective of someone else who might give him some idea on how to proceed.

He was just about to open his mouth to speak when the ancient tree beat him to it.

"So tell me, young lord," the tree said, "who is this young human woman I sense in your domain?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sound of a door opening awoke him.

Souta groaned, blinking bleary eyes as he tried to figure out what was going on. His entire body ached from the torture he'd been put through as the Daimyo's men tried to pump information from him about Sesshoumaru. Even if he knew more than he did, he had no intention of betraying his lord.

Though he could understand the Daimyo's desire to avenge himself for the humiliation he had suffered he thought it was foolish to antagonize the taiyoukai further. A clear warning had been left and at the end of the day, it had been humans who captured the youkai and the Daimyo himself who had sacrificed his own people to Sesshoumaru's wrath – the human lord's life in exchange for the people who had trusted and relied on him to protect them.

He shook his head and returned his attention to the commotion in the hallway outside of his cell. Guessing that there was about four of five people if the number of steps was anything to go by he listened as well as he could and almost wished he hadn't. Someone, and a woman at that, was using words that would have made his mother pass out from shock. Even his ears were burning as he listened to her tirade.

"Watch where you're putting those hands," the woman growled at one point.

"Just wait until I get my hands on hiraikotsu. I'll cut your balls off and shove them so far down your throat you'll wish you'd been born a woman."

Here a male voice broke in to try and placate her with a gentle, "Now Sango, I'm sure it's all a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding? Ha! Don't feed me that crap monk. Weren't you the one who said we needed to get closer and reason with them even after they already tried to shoot us down? Thanks to you, who knows what they'll do to Kirara?"

"Will you two shut up," said the annoyed voice of one of the guards.

"Screw you," was the woman's reply.

"Why you little…," the sound of flesh hitting flesh reached his ears and Souta gave the woman credit for not crying out.

Her companion had no such qualms. A brief scuffle ensued and he heard the man say, all traces of calm gone from his voice, "Don't you dare put your hands on her. She has every right to be angry. We didn't do anything to warrant getting arrested."

"You come in here riding on the back of a youkai and expect us to believe you're innocent. Why I out to…," the guard's voice cut off with a squeak and Souta heard a low moan as something that sounded like a body hit the floor hard.

"Put your hands on me again and I swear it'll be a knife there instead of my knee. As it is, don't expect to have kids any time soon," came the woman's voice with a definite note of triumph and the young man winced knowing exactly what she must have done to shut her captor up.

"That's enough out of both of you," said the voice of another guard and he heard a creak as the cell a few doors down from his own was opened.

"Wait, don't we even get a chance to speak with the Daimyo?"

"Oh, you'll get a chance once he's good and ready. Until then, sit tight and rest in there. I'm sure you'll need it." That said, the door closed with finality and the young man listened as the guards, left the way they came, on set of steps far more unsteady than before and assumed that it was the man who had paid the price for hitting the woman.

"Oh, Sango, Sango, I knew that mouth of yours would get you in trouble some day. Does it hurt, Beautiful?"

"Shut up, Miroku. I don't need you fawning over me and I sure as heck don't need your flirting at a time like this."

A heavy sigh sounded and Miroku replied, "One of these days, you'll realize just how special you are to me but for now can we please cry truce and _try_ to think of a way to get ourselves out of this mess."

There was a long pause before she conceded with a resigned, "Whatever."

Souta's curiosity was piqued by the pair and he couldn't resist making his presence known. Dragging himself to his feet, he pressed his face to the door of his cell and said as loudly as he could without yelling, "Hello?"

The occupants in the other cell abruptly fell quiet before the man tentatively asked, "Hello? Who are you?"

Breathing a sigh of relief that they were willing to talk, he called responded, "My name is Souta. I've been here for a few days. I came here shortly before Sesshoumaru-Sa…before the taiyoukai destroyed the town."

"Hmm, why does your name sound so familiar?"

Souta held his breath and prayed that the man wouldn't make the connection between his name and the infamous Souta who was a know accomplice to Sesshoumaru.

"Oh c'mon Miroku, this isn't the time to play guessing games," the female voice said.

"Anyways, my name is Sango," she continued, "I'm a taijiya and the guy who never shuts up is Miroku, he's a monk."

Deciding he would puzzle out the weird love/hate relationship of the pair later, Souta replied, "I am glad to make your acquaintance. How did you come to be captured?"

"Well, we were…," Miroku began but Sango cut him off yet again.

"We were on our way to see the Daimyo to talk about Sesshoumaru, you know, the ugly youkai who's been terrorizing everybody."

He had to hold back a snort. Sesshoumaru was about as far from ugly as the sun was from the moon. No one, be they male or female, was immune to the otherworldly beauty of his face and he hoped Sango wasn't one of those fools who leaped before they looked and drew inane conclusions about things they really knew nothing about.

However, he opted not to correct her since he'd met his fair share of taijiya and as a general rule they deliberately refused to differentiate one youkai from another. As far as they were concerned a good youkai was dead one, no matter if it was aggressive towards humans or not. Needless to say, he viewed them with almost as much contempt as Sesshoumaru did.

Ideologies aside, it wouldn't do to alienate the pair if he wanted to escape so he swallowed what he really wanted to say and asked instead, "And then what happened? I wouldn't think that would be enough to get you in trouble, quite the opposite in fact."

"It shouldn't have," the man said, "and before I say anything more, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't interrupt me this time, Sango. I realize you feel it's my fault we're in this mess but you were the one who foolishly got it into her head to assassinate the Almighty Lord of the West. I tried to discourage you but, as usual, your hot-headedness got you in trouble. Be grateful I was worried enough to tag along with you, a monk carries far more weight than a taijiya. If I had been anyone else, I'd have turned you over my knee and given you a swift swat to get you to see reason. I still might the moment we get out of here."

"I'd like to see you try," Sango growled.

"There won't be any trying to it, my dear. If I decided to punish you, as you so rightly deserve, there wouldn't be a thing you could do to stop me," Miroku replied, his tone dropping a few octaves until his words came out on a purr.

Souta blushed at the implied threat and quickly reassessed the nature of their relationship. Though he was no expert in love, he knew enough to know that the man was clearly in love – or at least in lust – with his companion.

Since it was none of his business, he quickly changed the subject, "So you were going to try and kill Sesshoumaru-Sa…Sesshoumaru?"

"I wasn't planning on doing anything," Miroku said, "I was going along to keep Sango from killing herself."

"As _if_ the likes of Sesshoumaru could kill me, ha! And even if he did, are you saying I'm a coward who's afraid to die?"

"Oh, heavens forbid I should think such a thing. I rather think you could do with a bit _more_ cowardice. How about enough fear to cultivate some semblance of self-preservation, for starters?"

He was starting to get a headache from listening to the two of them. Sango was clearly being childish and Miroku, he suspected, was goading her on to keep her from thinking too hard about her surroundings.

Shaking his head, he opted to address the more level-headed of the two, "Miroku-San, I gather you were against killing Sesshoumaru and given your occupation I find that hard to believe. Most monks as well as miko that I know would be all for killing the taiyoukai of the West. Also, I still do not understand why you were captured in the first place."

"Well, as I was saying before I was so _rudely_ interrupted. We were captured because everyone is on edge about the war and they thought we were suspicious and also because my companion here – for all her spoken dislike for youkai – has one for a pet and we were riding in on her. I'm sure you can picture the sight we made flying in on a nekomata with flaming legs after Sesshoumaru's had all but flattened the town."

"I can just imagine how the Daimyo and his men reacted," Souta agreed.

"As for your other question, I've always been a laid-back sort. I freely admit to meeting my share of both kind and cruel youkai and I personally don't have a problem since there seem to be far more of the former than the latter. And as for the deal with Sesshoumaru, I am far more in the know about the situation than most thanks to my station in life and I can't completely fault him for the war. People tend to forget that humans can be every bit as cruel as youkai when the mood takes them."

"Don't defend him Miroku," Sango snapped.

"Oh, hush. I'm not defending anyone. I simply prefer to remain neutral on the subject of human-youkai relations. That said, I have told you my story and my memory had started to come back to me about your name. Tell me, Souta-San, are you the human who was travelling with Sesshoumaru and, if so, why are you here now?"

Souta's breath caught in his throat as panic rose up. He hadn't intended to reveal his identity but he was a miserable liar and he had hoped it wouldn't come up. Stubborn man that he was, he didn't answer the question directly, rather he responded, "And if I were, what would you do?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Come now, Sesshoumaru. Surely you realized I would know about her the moment you set foot on your courtyard with her in tow?"

Of course, Bokusenou, with a root system that stretched for miles across his lands would know he'd brought a human but Sesshoumaru had hoped to ease the subject of Rin into the conversation. He hadn't counted on the old tree actually being curious enough to bring it up first.

He allowed a tiny sigh to escape his lips before responding, "I did occur to me that you would know but that was not the main reason for my visit."

"Oh," the tree sounded amused, "so you didn't want to confer with me about how confusing she is and why you can't seem to stay away from her? You only seem to visit me when your emotions are getting the best of you. Why, the last you came with such a look on your face, your father had just died and you were fighting with yourself to keep from remembering that, with all his faults, he was still a youkai to be admired. And now, here you are again after stirring things up by bringing a human woman just as your father – who you claim to despise – did before you."

No matter what he said or did, the old tree youkai had a way of making him feel like a child and he was starting to think that perhaps coming here was a bad idea.

As if reading his mind, Bokusenou said, "Don't be overly upset at yourself, young lord. I'm not bringing up any questions that hundreds of youkai haven't been asking themselves for centuries. Human women do tend to have a certain way about them that draws our kind like bees to a flower. However, I will allow you the time to figure out how you want to ask me for advice in dealing with her and simply inquire as to how you have been these past few decades."

"I have been as well as ever," the taiyoukai replied, glad that the subject was turning away from Rin.

"Ah, yes. You're well…as usual. For the sake of keeping the peace, I'll refrain from voicing the differences in our opinions as to what constitutes doing well and what doesn't. And how is Jaken, you've not brought him by in a while."

Sesshoumaru had no idea why Jaken had come into the conversation but since his retainer hadn't been squawking in his ear lately, he replied that the toad was fine as well. What ensued then was a long list from the tree wherein he asked after what seemed like every single one of his subjects and the taiyoukai found himself growing increasingly bored as he gave the same answer to each, hence he was caught off guard when the conversation swung one more to his least favorite subject at the moment.

"So, what's she like?" the tree asked mildly and it was a testament to just how distracted he'd been when he actually answered the question honestly.

"Interesting."

If he had been prone to outward emotional displays, he would have clapped his hand across his mouth. Since he wasn't, he contented himself with pressing his lips together more tightly to keep himself from making a fool of himself. Naturally, the tree didn't help to make him feel any better about his slip of the tongue.

"So…she's interesting is she? And here I thought your interest in humans only extended to however long it took to kill them. Then again, you did keep that other young human around before her so maybe there's more to the story than I thought. And what is your human's name?"

"Here name is Rin," he responded and felt compelled to add, "and she is _not_ my human."

"I have a feeling that she doesn't entirely agree with you on that score and, for some reason, I don't think you're being honest with me about your feelings on the subject either."

"Do not presume to know my thoughts," Sesshoumaru growled in irritation.

"I would never presume such a thing. But there are some things to be said for old age and a keen awareness of most everything that goes on around me. My roots stretch quite far as you know. However, I will kindly put aside the subject of your feeling for this Rin and tell you instead about another concern that you undoubtedly have in mind. Before I do that, though, I must wait for our other guest to arrive. She was wandering about in your father's garden and I couldn't resist inviting her into my abode. I'm simply dying of curiosity."

"Who…," Sesshoumaru began and stopped his self. A feeling of dread came over him as he realized exactly who Bokusenou had invited. He almost left then and there but the tree's voice stopped him.

"Don't be so childish, Sesshoumaru. I need to speak with both of you. Besides, I don't think she bites," he chuckled at his own joke.

"Of course, leave it to you to outdo your father. He brought a princess home and you chose a miko of all people. You don't do things by half, do you by boy?"

The young taiyoukai wondered if it would be worth it to claw the old tree across his face and, with a sigh, decided against it. He needed the youkai and his vast knowledge to accomplish his goals. With as much dignity as he could muster, he marched to the center of the path which lead out of the clearing and back towards his castle to await the arrival of his human guest.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Well, here I am after a wickedly long hiatus. I told ya'll I wasn't gonna' drop the story ;-) I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it and as always, please let me know what you thought. I hope to develop Sess and Rin's relationship more from here on out.


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